UNRCPD Regional Asia-Pacific Seminar on Gun Violence and Illicit Small Arms Trafficking from a Gender Perspective

04/03/2020
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06/03/2020
Activity description

On 4-6 March 2020, UNRCPD organized a regional seminar on “Gun Violence and Illicit Small Arms Trafficking from a Gender Perspective” in Kathmandu, Nepal. The seminar was attended by Members of Parliament (MPs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from 17 States of Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Pacific, as well as international experts and UN officials engaged in arms control and gender issues. The seminar concluded the efforts of three preceding sub-regional workshops organized in the framework of this project.  The final outcome of the seminar is a Compendium including inputs, findings and lessons learned from this and the other related events. The seminar also served to raise awareness on the implementation of key international arms control instruments, such as the Arms Trade Treaty and the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, and their linkage with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda.

Project description

The project '"Gun Violence and Illicit Small-Arms Trafficking from a Gender Perspective" aimed at preventing uncontrolled spread and misuse of SALW and promoting arms control, and particularly a gender perspective in this area. It consisted of four events; three sub-regional workshops for South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and one conclusive regional Asia-Pacific seminar. These events were organized mainly for women leaders of NGOs focused on gender issues and women’s empowerment, as well as members of parliament (MPs) engaged in security and disarmament, from the Asia-Pacific countries most affected by gun violence. The project sought to further disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control objectives by strengthening women’s participation in the combat against illicit trade in SALW and bringing NGOs together with disarmament-engaged MPs for possible cooperation on this endeavour. The project focused on empowering women to participate in discussions on and initiate advocacy and awareness raising for efforts to combat illicit SALW trade and enhance national SALW control. Efforts will mainly be towards national implementation of the UN Programme of Action on SALW and ratification of/accession to, and implementation of, the Arms Trade Treaty. All project activities, ourcomes and recommendations have been outlined in the UNRCPD publication shared with all participants and stakeholders.

Type of Activity
Institutional capacity-building
Sensitization and outreach
Focus of Activity
Ammunition
Border controls
Diversion
Enforcement
Gender based violence (GBV)
International instruments
National action plan (NAP)
Regional cooperation
Regional instruments
Risk assessments
Small arms and light weapons (SALW) controls
Transfer controls
Transit and trans-shipment controls
Partners
Afghanistan
Bhutan
Cambodia
Fiji
India
Myanmar
Nepal
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Timor-Leste
Implementers
International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA)
United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD)
Donors
European Union (EU)
Budget
USD
Contact Details

UNRCPD
KSK Building, 4th Floor, Ward No. 5, Lagankhel, Lalitpur

Tel.: +97715548581
E-mail: info@unrcpd.org
Point of Contact: Ida Scarpino, project coordinator
Phone: +97715548581
E-mail:  ida.scarpino@un.org