Saferworld

EU Legislative Interests

Following the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty and the subsequent establishment of the EEAS, Saferworld has been working with various institutions to inform the development and implementation of the EU’s conflict prevention and peacebuilding agenda, notably its conflict analysis and conflict- and gender- sensitive practices. Our work at EU level focuses on EU external action and targets the following EU instruments and policies and their implementation: Council Conclusions on the Integrated Approach to External Conflicts and Crises; The Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) for 2021-2027; EU Country Roadmaps for Engagement with Civil Society; The European Peace Facility; EU Strategy Against Illicit Firearms, Small Arms & Light Weapons and their Ammunition; EU Action Plan on Firearms Trafficking; The Communication on Elements for an EU-wide Strategic Framework to Support Security Sector Reform; The Communication on capacity-building in support of security and development – enabling partners to prevent and manage crises; The Civilian CSDP Compact; The Civilian Operations Commander Operational Guidelines on Civil Society Engagement; The strategic reviews of the CSDP missions; The reports on Human Rights and Gender Mainstreaming in CSDP; The Human Rights Due Diligence Policy for Security Sector Support; The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD); The Stabilisation non-paper and accompanying action plan; The Gender Action Plan (GAP) III; The Strategic Approach to Women Peace and Security and accompanying Action Plan; The EU Common Position 2008/944/CFSP defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment (as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1560); The EU Common Position 2003/468/CFSP on the control of arms brokering; The EU staff handbook on operating in situations of conflict and fragility; The European Commission publication on Evaluation in Hard- to- Reach Areas and Results-Orientated Monitoring Handbook. On conflict sensitivity and aid effectiveness: Joint Communication on a Strategic Approach to Resilience (2017) New European Consensus on Development ‘Our world, our dignity, our future’ (2017) Integrated Approach to External Conflict and Crises (2017) EU Conflict Analysis Guidelines (2020) European Commission Communication on ‘The EU’s humanitarian action: new challenges, same principles (2021) Uptake of INTPA Conflict Sensitivity Guidance Notes (2021)

Communication Activities

Saferworld has organised several events in Brussels and other European capitals in the last few years on arms control, migration, conflict sensitivity, gender/women, peace, and security, security assistance, the European Peace Facility, stabilisation, climate, environment, and conflict, and other topics related to the above-mentioned policies and core areas of work, as well as country-focused events. For over 20 years, Saferworld has organised annual conferences and ad hoc roundtables with the Council Working Group on Conventional Arms Exports (COARM). We have also been involved in the co-organisation of events together with EU institutions (EEAS, EC) and Member States, including events related to Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan), Myanmar, the Sahel, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan. Saferworld has been involved in and implemented several EU-funded projects in recent years, such as the “Africa-China-Europe dialogue and cooperation on preventing the diversion of arms and ammunition in Africa”; "Initiative for Peacebuilding"; "Initiative for Peacebuilding -– Early Warning"; "People’s Peacemaking Perspectives"; “Capacities for Peace"; "Transatlantic civil society dialogue on security and development”; “Amplifying the voices of women on peace, security and justice”; “Enhancing women’s role in peace and security in Yemen;” “Peace and Resilience Project in South Sudan”; “NDICI Mubadarat Almuatin Ley Al Salam Fi Al Shariq (MASS) Citizen's Initiatives for Peace”; “Strengthening EU partnership with Yemeni CSOs for the development of Yemen”; “Supporting civil society to deliver inclusive, locally-led peacebuilding initiatives in the Fergana Valley”; “Strengthening integrated Peace, Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction for Cross-Border Communities in the Karamoja Cluster”; “Strengthening institutional and programmatic capacity of CSOs, and coordination between CSOs and with government bodies in Uzbekistan”, and “Somalia: Establishing a EWER mechanism”. We also run the Conflict Sensitivity Resource Facility, South Sudan (2016-present) and the Conflict Sensitivity Facility, Sudan (2020-present) for which the EU is a key contributing donor, and we led the European Investment Bank (EIB) Helpdesk (2017-2022). Saferworld has produced multiple publications and communications relating to EU policies, including: podcasts on security trends and alliances in the EU and Central Asia and EU arms transfers; the review of the EU Common Position on arms transfers; Civilian CSDP compact; EU security assistance and engagement; gender, peace, and security and gender-based violence; and engaging with civil society. Recent publications and communications relating to EU policies include: EU arms export controls in a world of change: report on COARM-NGO Forum 2025 Statement reaffirming the importance of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda The EU Common Position review: Fixing or fiddling? The EU Common Position review: Fixing or fiddling? Stepping up? Striving for EU arms transfer policy coherence and responsibility in a dangerous world Stepping up? The EU, arms, and the new world disorder Warpod: European arms production - the EU's struggle to find a role UK, US and EU must halt arms sales to Israel or risk complicity in potential war crimes Donor dilemmas in the Sahel: How the EU can better support civil society in Mali and Niger

Interests Represented

Does not represent commercial interests

Member Of

Saferworld is a member of: - The European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) - Crisis Action - Bond - Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP) - Chatham House - Royal United Services Institute - Control Arms - International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) - Gender Action on Peace and Security (GAPS) UK - Security Policy Alternatives Network (SPAN) - Human Rights and Security Coalition (Washington, DC) - Conflict Sensitivity and Integration Working Group (Washington, DC) - Conflict Sensitivity Community Hub - Prevention and Protection Working Group (Washington DC) - Dutch Knowledge Platform for Security and Rule of Law (KPSRL) - Design, Monitoring and Evaluation for Peacebuilding - Pelican Initiatives - CSO Coalition on Human Rights and Counter Terrorism - Pathfinders Halving Global Violence Taskforce - Gender and Development Network, UK - Rethinking Security Saferworld also coordinates the informal 'Brussels Group', which comprises around 200 civil society representatives, academics and researchers, and which involves regular exchanges of information and meetings to discuss arms export control issues.

Organisation Members

Saferworld, headquartered in London, has two independent affiliates: - Saferworld Europe ASBL, based in Brussels - Saferworld USA, based in Washington DC Saferworld also has offices in several countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Our work on European policies and activities covered by the register is led by Saferworld Europe ASBL, an independent affiliate of Saferworld which has been registered with the legal status of a Belgian ASBL since 2018. We share the mission and values of Saferworld, and focus our efforts on engaging with EU institutions, EU member states, the media and non-governmental organisations across Europe. https://www.saferworld.org.uk/who-we-are/contact-us