Among it’s other activities, the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) brings together representatives of “civil society” from around the world to make their voices heard at the Biennial Meeting of States (BMS) at the United Nations every two years where progress on the program to eradicate the illicit international trade in small arms is reviewed by UN delegates. Americans Against Gun Violence President Dr. Bill Durston spoke on behalf of U.S. civil society at IANSA sponsored events at BMS 5 in 2014 and at BMS 6 in 2016.
The term, “small arms and light weapons” refers to weapons that can be carried by a single individual, ranging from handguns to shoulder mounted grenade launchers. Most of the daily carnage from small arms and light weapons worldwide results from the use of handguns and rifles.
IANSA was co-founded by Rebecca Peters, who also served as the organization’s first executive director. Ms. Peters received the Australian Human Rights medal, Australia’s highest civilian honor, for the key role that she played in getting a complete ban passed on all semi-automatic rifles and self-loading shotguns in Australia within just 13 days of the infamous Port Arthur massacre in 1996. Since 1966, there have been no further mass shootings in Australia.
Dr. Durston first met Rebecca Peters at BMS 5 in 2016. He subsequently invited Ms. Peters to be the keynote speaker at the annual dinner of the Sacramento Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility in 2015. Ms. Peters inspiration and counsel was a significant factor in the founding of Americans Against Gun Violence in 2016. Click on this link to read Ms. Peters’ article regarding the importance of the role that Americans Against Gun Violence plays in the U.S. gun control debate.