PHANZ Joins Global Coalition to ADDRESS Firearm Violence as a Public Health Crisis

The Public Health Association of New Zealand (PHANZ) has joined the Global Coalition for WHO Action on Firearm Violence, a growing international effort to address firearm violence through a public health lens.

The coalition aims to reframe firearm violence as a commercially driven epidemic, shifting the conversation beyond criminal justice toward the broader systems and industries that influence harm.

By joining, the PHANZ is committing to evidence-based prevention and global solidarity. The move also aligns with PHANZ’s recent response to the Arms Amendment Bill, where it emphasised the importance of strong, evidence-based firearm regulation to protect population health.

The coalition is calling on governments, researchers, and health leaders worldwide to prioritise prevention, strengthen regulation, and address the commercial determinants that contribute to firearm violence.

The PHANZ’s involvement signals a committed international push to strengthen the public health response to firearm violence.