The Roadmap project “Improving national SALW-related practices and building violence-resilient communities” supported the MoI of North Macedonia to improve its Weapons Registration and Stockpile Management Software (WRMS) and to design, develop and implement the Information Management System (IMS) for collecting, analyzing and sharing SALW-related data, leading to a more effective and efficient control and response to firearms-related threats.
In line with amended EU Directive 91/277/EC, a new module for the WRMS was to be developed, allowing registered firearms dealers to keep a record of the firearms in their possession and the ones they dispose, with specific details that enable a better identification and tracing of the firearms. At the same time, the project endeavored to design and develop an IMS, as the MoI’s system in use was outdated and could not generate automated reports and analyses on the distribution and impact of firearms. Through a series of bespoke project activities, such as developing standardized methodology and streamlining organizational processes and upgrading necessary software and hardware, the MoI will be able to collect and analyze, on a regular basis, quantitative and qualitative information and suitably disaggregated data on incidents and criminal cases including misuse and trafficking of firearms, their parts and components, and ammunition.
The project contributed to Roadmap Goals 2, 4, 5, 7.
Key results achieved:
- The sub-project improved weapons registration in accordance with the Amended EU firearms Directive 2017 and the Law on Weapons. The upgrade of the WRMS was successfully completed and technical support provided throughout the project to ensure proper use and functioning of the upgraded system. To further prepare the MoI personnel for the implementation of WRMS module, a specialized end-user training was organized. Over 120 participants from the MoI from all over the country (24 women and 96 men), including the Sector for Weapons and Explosives, Boarder Police and the IT Department, as well as the weapons-selling companies were trained in the functionalities of the upgraded software. As part of the planned cooperation with the Customs Administration’s software EXIM, an Agreement on Interoperability was signed between the MoI and the Customs Administration. This is the first time that the MoI has opened itself to exchange of information with another institution.
- To ensure proper functioning and use of the WRMS, necessary hardware was procured and delivered to the MoI in two lots. The first lot included systems and licenses that will host WRMS in the Information Technology Department and the Telecommunications Department, while the second lot was composed of desktop computers and specialized printers for the Weapons Registration Department, as well as workstations for the Border Police Department (32 desktop computers and 25 specialized printers for the Weapons Registration Department, as well as 20 workstations for the Border Police Department). Following this, additional RAM memories were procured to address the speed of data processing.
- The sub-project finalized the work on the Information Management System of the MoI. The process encompassed intensive consultations and coordination with stakeholders. A Police Business Intelligence Expert, contracted for this assignment, took into account detailed information on standard operational procedures, legislature, staff, current technology, and other analysis. The preparations led to the development of two documents: i) Report/Needs-based analysis detailing current organizational processes and organizational structure as it relates to criminal and firearm related data; ii) Guidelines and recommendations for data collection in relation to management of SALW and other crime related incidents. Necessary equipment was provided as well, including 74 workstations, 52 printers and 50 scanners for the police stations around the country, that will be directly used by police officers for the new software. The sub-project developed the user’s manual, and trained 200 police officers on the IMS use, to also serve as trainers for their colleagues in the MoI. The new IMS improves firearm-related data collection, analysis, and exchange. It improves information management via the MoI across all institutions with a role in SALW control, linking up numerous databases.
- As part of the efforts to streamline organizational process and improve the work of the MoI, the project developed an Analysis of the cases of femicides in the Republic of North Macedonia in the period 2017-2020, in cooperation with the National Network to End Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, a local NGO. The study is also relevant as it looks at data which will need to be captured by the new Police IMS. The study was discussed with relevant representatives from the MoI, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and Ministry of Health. The findings established a basis for further work on developing a module on gender-based violence within the IMS that will be pursued as part of the future project within the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap MPTF.
Budget: US$1,000,908
Implementing period: September 2019 – August 2022