Bearing Arms: Right or Privilege

Abstract

This article addresses the discussion on the carrying of weapons in Ecuador from two levels: the conceptualization of rights and freedoms, and the reality of the effects of the use of weapons. The premise that carrying weapons is a right is critically analyzed, arguing that material goods are satisfiers of needs and not rights in themselves. Through a mixed approach, official statistics on homicides are examined, showing the disproportionate impact on young people and women. The weapons control policies implemented in Ecuador since 2007 and their results are discussed. The article concludes that public policy should not be directed at legalizing instruments that enhance violence, but rather at building collective agreements to resolve conflicts non-violently. The importance of addressing the social causes of insecurity, such as inequality and exclusion, and of changing the police approach to a social one is emphasized. Finally, the need for the participation of civil society and academia in the construction of non-violent solutions is highlighted.