About ArmsTracker

Reduce gun theft, armed violence
and human suffering

ACNC Registered Charity TickArmsTracker was created and is being further developed by the Centre for Armed Violence Reduction (CAVR), a registered charity headquartered in Sydney with people in Africa, the Pacific, North America and Europe. Our staff and board include world experts with decades of experience in conventional arms control. CAVR also benefits from close partnerships with the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), the Stimson Center and the University of Sydney School of Public Health.

Jointly we recognise a need which has been consistently prioritised in UN reports and international assessments for many years: an easy-to-use arms record-keeping solution standardised to global norms and accessible to low-capacity states. Enter ArmsTracker: a no-cost arms control database which enables small countries to reduce gun-related crime, injury and death and to simplify compliance with international arms control treaties and agreements. ArmsTracker is the powerful, yet affordable system which precisely delivers this solution.

No cost

With international assistance from donors, ArmsTracker is installed in eligible states and agencies at little or no cost. On request, our team identifies donors, consults with stakeholders, drafts grant applications and acts as the state’s implementing partner. Project agreements allow for installation and training, initial assistance to migrate legacy data, frequent software upgrades and post-installation support.

Easy to use

Designed for instant use in low-capacity settings, ArmsTracker displays context-sensitive pop-up Help tooltips for every label, button and function, all in one or more languages of the client’s choice. Although the software is initially installed in popular Microsoft Office applications on a single Windows laptop or desktop computer, agencies can grant network access to suit their own security protocols.

Securely stored

Countries store some of their most sensitive information in an arms management system. In ArmsTracker, no outsider has any access to the client's data, and no records can be shared unless the owner adds a feature to do so. The ArmsTracker database exists only on the owner's premises, and only the owner can configure security settings and encryption. As with other downloadable software, periodic ArmsTracker updates cannot access a client's data.

Individual design

Every country is different. Every agency is different. Because ArmsTracker is modular, clients can choose just the features they need. We configure these to match the country’s existing laws, practices and local language, and if necessary to incorporate the state’s existing data. Where necessary, each ArmsTracker installation also taps into the resources of GunPolicy.org, the world’s most comprehensive online source of evidence on armed violence and firearm laws.

Global standards

Agencies involved in national arms control systems can include military forces, police, customs, corrections, park authorities, foreign affairs and trade, the executive branch and others. Although each has a different focus on arms control, ArmsTracker ensures that when agencies report to management, share selected data with other branches of government or generate reports to comply with international instruments, their output always conforms to global standards.