The past decade has witnessed a proliferation in the range and complexity of armed violence. Examples include:

• The incidence of armed violence in many non-conflict countries exceeding that of certain countries affected by war. The risk of dying violently in parts of Brazil, Jamaica, Trinidad or Guatemala is higher than in many countries afflicted by war.

• The linkages in certain countries and cities between socio-political conflict and crime. In conflict-affected countries such as Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Somalia and Sudan, armed groups often fragment and seek to control illicit markets. In many cases these groups are not just locally connected; rather, they are aligned with transnational criminal networks and global supply chains.