A/HRC/32/21 31. The Committee against Torture has also expressed the view that strict national firearm control measures are necessary. In particular, it has approached the issue by looking at the regulation of firearm users. The Committee, examining irregularities in the approval of firearm licences whereby licences have allegedly been granted indiscriminately and the firearms obtained therewith used to commit offences prohibited by the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, recommended that a State should strengthen the administrative measures necessary to control the indiscriminate issuance of firearms licences (see CAT/C/GUY/CO/1, para. 7). The Committee on the Rights of the Child has expressed a similar view. Concerned about the proliferation of firearms in a State, and particularly about the high proportion of children carrying them (see CRC/C/OPAC/BGD/CO/1, para. 23),48 the Committee considered that it was imperative to take all necessary measures to ensure that children did not have access to small arms and/or light weapons and that those already in possession of weapons be disarmed (ibid., para. 24). 32. In view of the continuing high numbers of gun-related deaths and injuries in a State, the Human Rights Committee enjoined it to take all necessary measures to abide by its obligation to effectively protect the right to life and to curb gun violence, including through the continued pursuit of legislation requiring background checks for all private firearm transfers in order to prevent possession of arms by persons recognized as prohibited individuals under the law; ensure strict enforcement of the relevant domestic legislation; 49 and review the “stand your ground” laws to remove far-reaching immunity and ensure strict adherence to the principles of necessity and proportionality when using deadly force in selfdefence (see CCPR/C/USA/CO/4, para. 10). 33. The Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed appreciation for States’ efforts to collect small arms and light weapons in the hands of civilians (see CRC/C/OPAC/BIH/CO/1, para. 24 (a) and (b) and CRC/C/OPAC/MNE/CO/1, para. 24) as well as measures aimed at raising awareness on the risks and dangers of firearms, which were elements of effective national arms control. The Human Rights Committee has emphasized the imperative of weapon collection schemes in post-conflict settings (see CCPR/C/AGO/CO/1, para. 12). Other recommendations made by the Committee on the Rights of the Child regarding measures to curb the proliferation of private possession of firearms have included international and regional cooperation with respect to the control of and eradication of surplus small arms and light weapons, including those in the possession of the civilian population (see CRC/C/OPAC/BIH/CO/1, para. 24 (a) and (b)). As a measure of prevention, the Committee, in general comment No. 4 (2003) on adolescent health and development in the context of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, also recommended that States strictly control firearms in discharging its obligation to prevent interpersonal violence. It further stated that one way to exercise strict governmental control was by imposing controls on the illicit sale of firearms complemented by a policy to eradicate and control the informal availability of firearms (see CRC/C/SLV/CO/3-4, para. 32 and CRC/C/OPAC/LKA/CO/1, paras. 44-45). 34. In examining the information provided by a State regarding the non-proliferation of small arms, the Human Rights Committee expressed regret that the statistical data provided on the number of crimes committed involving small arms, investigations undertaken, prosecutions made, sanctions imposed on those responsible and measures taken to protect its population against the insecurity caused by small arms were insufficient. The Committee recommended that the State strengthen measures to collect small arms held by the 48 49 10 On the general question of the overproliferation of small arms in general, see CRC/C/SDN/CO/3-4, paras. 74-75. For example, the Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban of 1996 (the Lautenberg Amendment).