Microdisarmament - a definition of terms

Small Arms & Light Weapons: A challenge to the churches

The term 'microdisarmament' refers to initiatives that seek to reduce the availability of small arms and light weapons especially in post-conflict situations and violence-ridden urban areas. Such initiatives also seek to reduce the demand for small arms by offering alternative ways to ensure personal and community security.

Small Arms & Light Weapons
While there are a variety of definitions of "small arms", they are generally defined as including all weapons that are person-portable. In addition to guns and rifles of all calibers, this includes shoulder-fired rockets and missile launchers as well as anti-personnel landmines.

small arms
revolvers and self-loading pistols
rifles and carbines
assault rifles
sub-machine guns
machine guns

Small arms & light weapons are those that can be carried by single combatants or a small crew.
They range from revolvers and pistols, assault rifles and machine guns to portable launchers.

light weapons

hand-held under barrel and mounted grenade launchers

portable anti-aircraft guns

portable anti-tank guns, recoilless rifles

mortars of calibre up to 82 mm inclusively

ammunition for the above mentioned weapons

portable launchers of anti-tank missile and rocket systems, including missiles

portable launchers of anti-aircraft missile systems, including missiles

mobile containers with missiles or shells for single action anti-aircraft and anti-tank

anti-personnel and anti-tank hand grenades

anti-personnel and anti-tank mines

ammunition and explosives

cartridges (rounds) for small arms

shells, missiles, and mines for light weapons

mobile containers with missiles or shells for single-action anti-aircraft and anti-tank systems

anti-personnel and anti-tank mines

anti-personnel and anti-tank hand grenades

Return to Small Arms & Light Weapons