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Seeking to “Silence the Guns in 2020”, seven African States ramp up efforts to collect illegal firearms
Seven African States are finishing four months of activities to collect illegally held firearms from their citizens in connection with an African Union-backed amnesty period in September, called “Africa Amnesty Month”. Working with local and international partners, the countries are alerting residents to the dangers of illegal small arms and ammunition through both targeted media blitzes and in-person education campaigns that extend from major cities out to distant villages. Meanwhile, officials are labouring behind the scenes to securely collect, record, store and ultimately destroy…
In push for gender equality, Central African Republic eyes vital role of small arms control
Officials in the Central African Republic held a multi-day training last month to further harness their small arms control practices and policies in support of gender equality and related priorities. Over three days of presentations and interactive exercises organized in Bangui by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), Government and civil society participants boosted their readiness to systematically weave gender considerations into national and local small arms control efforts, in line with the women, peace and security agenda. The training was…
Lawmakers and experts unveil handbook on parliamentary action for disarmament
On 5 November 2020, four international parliamentary organizations and two international policy bodies launched a parliamentary handbook to support disarmament for security and sustainable development. The approach and focus of the new publication draw primarily from Securing Our Common Future: An Agenda for Disarmament, released by the UN Secretary-General in 2018. It also considers how disarmament is connected with sustainable development and with pandemics. Called Assuring our Common Future, the handbook provides background and examples of effective policies and…
Ammunition management, a male-dominated field, seeks to better understand its impacts on women, men, boys and girls
Poorly managed ammunition can explode suddenly or fall prey to theft, endangering women and men in distinct ways that demand more attention, experts said at a virtual panel discussion in late October. The ammunition-management sector could help save lives by adopting policies and practices that are gender-sensitive, according to participants in the exchange organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Small Arms Survey, an independent research institute. Their discussion, which drew about 100 online participants, coincided with the launch…
UNODA presents concrete actions in support of gender mainstreaming policies, programmes and actions in the fight against trafficking and misuse of small arms
The European Union and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in partnership with the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) organized an event entitled “Supporting gender mainstreamed policies, programmes and actions in the fight against small arms trafficking and misuse, in line with the Women, Peace and Security agenda” on Friday, 30 October 2020. Over 90 people joined the virtual event which took place in the margins of the First Committee meetings and the open debate on Women, Peace and Security in the Security Council,…
Gender stereotypes seen as a key obstacle in tackling small-arms challenges
Entrenched expectations about women and men contribute to small-arms challenges around the world, staff from the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) told university students in early October. Small arms and light weapons impact women, girls, men and boys differently, and socially constructed assumptions about masculinity are significant contributors to perceptions of small arms, said Ms. Ida Scarpino, UNRCPD’s Gender and Small Arms and Light Weapons project coordinator. Disarmament efforts and activities under the women,…
Winners announced in first-ever Apps 4 Digital Peace Competition
The United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, and Cybersecurity Tech Accord are proud to announce the first-ever Apps 4 Digital Peace competition winners: AllSafe, Maktab and Cyber Teens. The Young innovators developed original technology-based solutions to increase the stability of our online environment and limit the use of the internet as a domain of conflict. First Place ($15,000) FSociety presented a community-driven platform, AllSafe, to democratize cybersecurity and increase…
UNODA hosted virtual webinar at UNSCC’s Virtual Torino Forum 2020 on “Sustaining peace through leveraging WPS, YPS and disarmament approaches”
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) hosted a virtual webinar focusing on bridging Women, Peace and Security (WPS), Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) and disarmament agendas on 8th September 2020, as a part of the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) Virtual Torino Forum on Sustaining Peace. Over 65 people attended the webinar, engaging with panelists and participating in interactive exercises. Three panelists shared their perspectives from government, youth champion and civil society and highlighted key aspects of the WPS, YPS and disarmament agendas as…
UNODA and Cybersecurity Tech Accord host the ‘App 4 Digital Peace Competition Virtual Awards Ceremony’
The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, will join leaders from the technology industry, media, and foreign policy community, as well as young innovators, on Monday 21st September for the Apps 4 Digital Peace Competition Virtual Awards Ceremony. The Apps 4 Digital Peace Competition is a joint initiative by the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the UN Office of the Envoy on Youth and Cybersecurity Tech Accord. The goal of the competition, launched in January and open to young innovators between 16 and 32 years…
With joint support from the African Union Commission and the United Nations youth contest for Africa Amnesty Month 2020 kicks off
This September marks another opportunity for the enforcement of African Union Decision 645 (XXIX) to reduce illicit flows of small arms and light weapons, strengthen ties between communities and law enforcement, and ultimately make everyone on the continent safer. During the September Africa Amnesty Month (SeptAAM2020), everyone can hand in illicitly owned weapons and contribute to reducing the number of uncontrolled small arms on the continent. September Africa Amnesty Month 2020 The success of this month-long campaign requires action by governments, civil…