The powerful symbolism of Humanium Metal has created a platform to elevate the discussion of gun violence, which has too often been underrepresented in international forums on disarmament. Humanium Metal’s transformation on commodities for violence into commodities for peace creates a tangible connection between global audiences and the communities affected by gun violence. That connection allows Humanium Metal to foster discussions about the devastating impact of gun violence on induviduals and communities around the world. The potency of that symbol was recognized and amplified when the United Nations Permanent Exhibition on Disarmament included several Humanium Metal products.

Humanium Metal uses this platform by connecting the voices of right-holders, civil society organizations, communities affected by gun violence, governments, businesses and consumers to advocate for international action to stop gun violence. Humanium Metal’s innovative model brings voices to international forums on disarmament and gun violence that would otherwise be excluded and amplifies them by connecting their voices together.

Humanium Metal’s international advocacy calls for:

• Increased and timely destruction of illegal weapons.
• Adequate support for survivors of gun violence so they can exercise their rights fully (including access to health care, livelihood opportunities and education).
• Incorporation of provisions for violence prevention into each country’s national action plans towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Countries to join and implement the Arms Trade Treaty and the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons fully.
• Ensure that diverse perspectives of all gender, race/ethnic, age, and LGBT communities are considered in implementation of treaties, national security and development plans.

The vast majority of illegal guns have been diverted from legal ownership or government possession to illicit ownership and criminal networks. That diversion represents a colossal problem for effective responses to gun violence. Not only do those guns continue to devastate communities but the diversion causes the public to lose faith in police efforts—like amnesty programs—which are critical to combatting gun violence.

The only way to permanently remove a weapon from criminal networks is to destroy it. Humanium Metal encourages the destruction of illicit seized weapons. Humanium Metal has to date participated in four destructions in El Salvador, resulting in the permanent removal of nearly 6.000 weapons from El Salvador’s communities. In addition, in 2020, Zambia was the first African country to collaborate with Humanium Metal in which over 6 000 weapons were destroyed. More recently in 2021, Humanium Metal launched a destruction of illegal and turned-in firearms in the United States. Humanium Metal operates as a platform that governments can use to highlight and expand their ongoing work to seize and destroy illicit firearms.

The profits made from Humanium Metal products are reinvested into the country of origin, supporting civil society efforts to combat gun violence and support survivors. In El Salvador funds have supported programs run by our partners Red de Sobrevivientes and FESPAD.

• Empower survivors of armed violence with income-generation and psychosocial support.
• Empower communities to reclaim public spaces as violence-free zones.
• Empower youths to choose violence-free paths.
• Empower civil society to advocate for legislation that prevents gun violence.

In order to eradicate gun violence Humanium Metal is convinced that international and national institutional change must be accompanied by societal and individual change which addresses the underlying causes of gun violence.  Humanium Metal civil society programs help individuals and organizations to transform cultures of violence into cultures of peace by demanding economic and social inclusion for all community members and the safeguarding of their basic human rights.

In discussions of gun violence, survivors are often forgotten. Two thousand people survive gun violence every day. Humanium Metal places an emphasis on empowering survivors of armed violence to exercise their human rights and to become active agents for change within their communities.