Enabling Civil Society Efforts to Address the Misuse, Diversion and Abuse of Arms Exports in Latin America

This 18-month project aims to enable civil society in Latin America to address the misuse, diversion and abuse of arms exports through rigorous documentation and investigation of supply chains, human rights training and advocacy with government and industry stakeholders.

For this project, the Asser Institute has partnered with Global Rights Compliance and the Center for Advanced Defence Studies (C4ADS), as well as with Diálogos and Fundación Myrna Mack, two Guatemalan civil society organizations focusing on security policy and human rights.

This project will help civil society organizations and government stakeholders address irresponsible arms sales through improved tracing of weapons, training and education on their strategic litigation options and a coordinated international advocacy campaign targeting arms and banking industry leaders.

At the Asser Institute, the project is led by Senior Researcher León Castellanos-Jankiewicz. He is supported by Junior Researcher Antonio Guzmán Mutis, and research interns Anna Puigderrajols and Ewa Romanowska.

The Arms Exports research team. From left to right: Junior Researcher Antonio Guzmán Mutis, Senior Researcher Dr. León Castellanos-Jankiewicz, Research Intern Ewa Romanowska and Research Intern Anna Puigderrajols.