A/HRC/42/21 V. Non-regulatory measures 45. While regulatory measures are an essential and effective measure for reducing the risks inherent in civilian access to firearms, they are not always successful on their own 85 because they do not fully address the larger social, cultural and economic factors driving firearm violence.86 Additionally, regulatory measures often meet stiff resistance in States where many individuals feel that gun ownership is at the heart of personal and national identity while also being crucial for personal security. 46. For these reasons, it is imperative to also consider non-regulatory measures when discussing ways to reduce the impact of civilian access to firearms on human rights. Several submissions received from States and other stakeholders set forth suggestions for nonregulatory measures that may reduce the impact of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms on human rights. These submissions resoundingly supported measures tailored to address the root causes of firearm violence perpetrated by civilians. 87 47. Several contributions noted the importance of programmes tailored to reducing the drivers of firearm violence among youth. Côte d’Ivoire, for example, suggested instituting poverty reduction programmes, good governance programmes, and vocational and employment opportunities for young people.88 Costa Rica noted the importance of violence prevention programmes geared towards youth, which it had implemented with remarkably positive results. After experiencing a steady increase from 2006 to 2010 of cases of students bringing a firearm to school, Costa Rica rolled out its Escuela Segura programme, which resulted in a nearly 50 per cent drop in cases of young people bringing a firearm to school in the following year. Aside from a brief increase in cases in 2016, the incidence of young people taking a firearm to school in Costa Rica has continued to drop steadily. 89 48. One of the most defining features of Escuela Segura is its recommendation that every educational centre form an internal committee for addressing and responding to armed violence on its premises. In addition, the committees are tasked with providing psychological support services to victims, witnesses and the perpetrators of violent acts, as well as actively evaluating the effectiveness of prevention and response measures. 90 49. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) highlights the importance of nonregulatory measures that address gang violence, given that patterns of lethal violence among youth are largely attributable to the illicit activities of organized criminal groups and the presence of street gangs. It is estimated that nearly one third of all homicides in Latin America and the Caribbean are related to crime and gangs, and two thirds of these are committed with a firearm.91 50. In instances where gang culture is largely responsible for firearm violence, UNICEF recommends programmes that specifically tackle the root causes of gang violence over efforts to merely regulate firearm acquisition by at-risk youth. For instance, interventions that address the risks for antisocial behaviour by teaching peaceful conflict resolution, as 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 The National Human Rights Commission of Mexico, for example, asserted in its contribution that strict firearm regulations had not halted the high levels of firearm homicides within its borders. It also acknowledged that it was experiencing an elevated level of firearm homicides, despite having a relatively low per capita rate of firearm possession. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, for example, underscored in its contribution that civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms is a symptom of and reaction to larger social issues, such as insecurity, economic poverty, unemployment, poor governance and unequal provision of goods and services at the local level. See the contributions of Amnesty International, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, the Kenya National Human Rights Commission, the National Human Rights Commission of Mexico, the Sur File on Arms and Human Rights and UNICEF. See the contribution of Côte d’Ivoire. See the contribution of Costa Rica. United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, “Preventing firearms proliferation and armed violence in educational centres of Latin America and the Caribbean”, working paper (2011), pp. 16–17. See the contribution of UNICEF. 11