Gender Perspectives and the Disarmament Regime
The Secretary-General has prioritized gender parity as “a moral duty and an operational necessity”
An October 2015 research report indicated that at any intergovernmental meeting on disarmament, approximately one quarter of participants are likely to be women. In 2014, seventeen experts were invited to speak at the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons on autonomous weapons systems, and none of them were women [1]. The male dominated field of disarmament has meant that often even when women are included in discussions, their “positions and ideas are often forced to conform to the dominant perspective — underpinned by notions of violent masculinity — in order to be taken seriously” [2]. It is therefore imperative that the inclusion of women is not merely tokenistic, but an opportunity to re-evaluate the gendered dimensions of war, peace and disarmament. It should also bring to light the oftentimes forgotten gendered impacts of violence and war on women and girls, through steps such as collecting gender specific disaggregated data.
On the 31st of October 2000, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325, a landmark resolution on Women, Peace and Security [3]. The resolution reaffirmed the pivotal role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, humanitarian responses and in post-conflict reconstruction. The resolution urges states to increase the participation of women and to incorporate gender perspectives in the UN peace and security domains. In 2010, the First Committee adopted the resolution entitled “Women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control,” which raised the topic of gender in the context of the disarmament framework. Despite the adoption of resolution 1325, many states were dismissive and considered the concept of gender a fringe topic in the disarmament debate when the “Women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control” resolution was first mentioned. At the time, this conversation had little traction.
Today, the intention to increase the participation of women in the disarmament framework and to incorporate a gendered analysis into discussions on disarmament has been raised by a number of states and civil society groups at this year’s First Committee annual talks. This year, including countries whose views were expressed in group statements, forty five countries have mentioned gender in their national statements as being an important component of the disarmament debate, indicating that attention to gender dimensions is rapidly gaining attention among the peace and disarmament community.
Civil society advocacy for the inclusion of gender has been pivotal in raising awareness and contributing to international support. The joint statement on gender made by Ms. Gabriella Irsten of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) noted some of the major developments that have occurred in the disarmament framework. These include the final report of the Third Review Conference (RevCon3) on the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms Light Weapons (UNPoA). The UNPoA now recognizes the importance of eradicating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (SALW) in combating gender-based violence, and the need for states to mainstream gender dimensions in its implementation. Irsten also made note of the trainings for parliamentarians and gender advocates organized by the UN Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, where participants identified ways to challenge the strong social and cultural association between masculinity and guns [4]. The joint statement delivered by Namibia at the 2018 First Committee Talks on behalf of fifty one states noted that “civil society organizations have had a powerful influence on the expansion of gender perspectives throughout the disarmament machinery,” and welcomed ongoing collaboration.
Prior to these more recent developments in 2010, the Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in collaboration with International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) issued guidelines for “mainstreaming gender for the effective implementation of the UN PoA” [5]. IANSA played a critical role in establishing these guidelines in June 2010. In IANSA’s statement during the NGO Presentations at the 73rd United Nations General Assembly First Committee on the 17th of October 2018, Dr Natalie Goldring gave an overview of six key issues IANSA had highlighted at RevCon3. This included gender-based action to curb SALW proliferation and violence [6]. She also emphasized the importance of “fully includ[ing] women on small arms commissions, on delegations, in decision-making. Not as tokens, but as full and effective participants” [7].
It is encouraging that states are undertaking concrete measures nationally and at the UN-level to promote gender equality and recognize the importance of women’s participation. The Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN has affirmed its commitment to promoting gender equality in the UN system by mainstreaming gender into the working methods of the mission and reflecting gender in their policies. Additionally, in October 2014, Sweden became the first country to launch a feminist foreign policy. This has involved applying a gender equality perspective throughout the foreign policy agenda. A component of Sweden’s feminist foreign policy is to increase knowledge of the link between “the uncontrolled spread of weapons and sexual violence against women” and to encourage more actors in joining efforts to combat gender-based violence in crisis situations [8]. They have also taken concrete action in ensuring a gender perspective is integrated into humanitarian operations by exclusively supporting humanitarian actors that base their work on gender analysis in addition to gender and age disaggregated data [9].
In the Australian delegation’s statement on the topic of the UN disarmament machinery, they spoke of the “most impactful contributions” to disarmament as “build[ing] diversity” and “bring[ing] more women into the fold of international security” [10]. The statement identified the need to mentor and encourage the next generation of leaders, and highlighted studies demonstrating how significant the impact of female role models is on the younger generation.
In addition to Australia’s statement made during the cluster on disarmament machinery, Namibia delivered a joint statement on gender and the disarmament machinery. The statement highlighted the importance of assessing the differing threats posed during and after global conflicts on women, men, girls and boys, especially when examining security and weapons related issues. The statement also highlighted the positive developments in incorporating gendered perspectives into UN side events, statements and resolutions, as well as the establishment of the International Gender Champions Disarmament Impact Group and the 2019 ATT, which focuses on gender and gender based violence.
Whilst this blogpost has highlighted the momentum gender-perspectives is gaining within the international disarmament system, it’s important that expressions of support for gender equality and for the full inclusion of women are reflected by concrete action to achieve these goals.This requires more support, dialogue, engagement, and cooperation with women who bear the brunt of highly militarized and violent societies. One platform for this is the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence campaign, which takes place annually from November 25-December 10. Please follow the links below to get involved in the campaign:
- http://www.unwomen.org/en
- https://www.iansa.org/
- https://www.nonviolenceinternational-ny.org/
- https://www.instagram.com/nonviolenceny/?hl=en
References
[1] Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom , “Gender and Disarmament: The Current Situation,” https://wilpf.org/what-we-do/disarmament/gender-and-disarmament/gender-and-disarmament-the-current-situation/.
[2] Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom , “Gender and Disarmament: The Current Situation,” https://wilpf.org/what-we-do/disarmament/gender-and-disarmament/gender-and-disarmament-the-current-situation/.
[3] Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, “Landmark Resolution on Women, Peace and Security,” last accessed December 7, 2018, http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/wps/.
[4]Gabriella Irsten, ‘Joint Statement on gender and disarmament,’ Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, October 17, 2018 at First Committee, Conference Room 4.
[3] Gabriella Irsten, ‘Joint Statement on gender and disarmament,’ Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, October 17, 2018 at First Committee, Conference room 4.
[4] United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, “Gender Perspectives,” last accessed December 7, 2014, https://www.un.org/disarmament/topics/gender/.
[5] Dr Natalie Goldring, “IANSA Statement” at the 73rd First Committee NGO Presentations, October 2018.
[6] Dr Natalie Goldring, “IANSA Statement” at the 73rd First Committee NGO Presentations, October 2018.
[7] Dr Natalie Goldring, “IANSA Statement” at the 73rd First Committee NGO Presentations, October 2018.
[8] Government Offices of Sweden, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, “Sweden’s Feminist Foreign Policy,” last accessed December 7, 2018, https://www.government.se/4ab455/contentassets/654bcc72d8f44da087386b4906043521/swedens-feminist-foreign-policy--examples-from-three-years-of-implementation.pdf.
[9] Government Offices of Sweden, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, “Sweden’s Feminist Foreign Policy,” last accessed December 7, 2018, https://www.government.se/4ab455/contentassets/654bcc72d8f44da087386b4906043521/swedens-feminist-foreign-policy--examples-from-three-years-of-implementation.pdf.
