Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has recognised violence as a major public health concern since a 1996 World Health Assembly resolution, firearm-related harms are largely absent from its governance frameworks. A multi-method analysis of WHO resolutions and violence-prevention policies from 2000–2025 finds that, while violence appears repeatedly, firearms are rarely mentioned explicitly, even though firearm injuries and deaths have caused over a million deaths in recent years. Key WHO child- and gender-violence frameworks like INSPIRE and RESPECT barely address firearm risk, and national strategies similarly overlook firearms despite their epidemiological significance. Political sensitivity, donor dependencies, and institutional constraints help explain this omission. Addressing firearm violence as a public health issue could align existing WHO priorities and improve data, guidance, and prevention strategies.
To read the full article on Health Policy Watch, follow this link: https://healthpolicy-watch.news/who-talks-about-violence-but-not-firearms/
