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The relevance of multilateral disarmament today under the microscope at the latest Vienna Conversation Series event
On 11 May, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) Vienna Office hosted another edition of the Vienna Conversation Series, entitled “Global Challenges and Opportunities for Multilateral Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Control: A conversation with Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs”. Over 260 participants tuned in, both in-person and online, for the interactive dialogue, moderated by Ms. Elena Sokova, Executive Director of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP). From left to…
UNODA intensifies efforts to mobilize youth in strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) Geneva Branch in collaboration with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) Implementation Support Unit (ISU), conducted over the past month several activities aiming at integrating youth perspectives on biosecurity and increasing youth engagement in the framework of the BWC. Taking place in the framework of the Youth for Biosecurity initiative, a flagship “umbrella” endeavour sponsored by the European Union these activities included the launch of the Youth Declaration for Biosecurity; the third edition of the Biosecurity Diplomacy…
Young AI practitioners discuss how to innovate responsibly
Young post-graduate AI practitioners from around the world joined a week of online workshops organized by the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Over the last week of April, the young participants also connected with experts from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, New York University, Pierre Marie Curie University, and Umeå University for discussions and interactive scenario-based exercises looking at responsible innovation of AI for disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation. The workshops are…
UNODA organizes outreach workshop for ASEAN Member States on the United Nations Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigations of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons (UNSGM)
On 31 March 2022, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) organized an outreach workshop for Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the United Nations Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigations of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons (UNSGM) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The workshop aimed to inform representatives from ASEAN States about the mandate and background of the UNSGM, which is currently the only international mechanism for investigation of alleged use of biological weapons. It built on a…
ASEAN Member States join workshop on Biological Weapons Convention in Geneva
On 29 and 30 March 2022, the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) organised a regional capacity-building workshop on the Convention for Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Geneva, Switzerland. The event, which was made available with financial support by the Government of Japan, aimed at supporting ASEAN Member States in their efforts to strengthen assistance, response and preparedness capacities in case of the use or threat of use of biological weapons and to enhance the national implementation of the…
UNRCPD trains government officials, parliamentarians and civil society in Nepal on gender and small arms and links with the Women, Peace and Security agenda
From 6-8 April, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal hosted an in-country training on Gender-Mainstreaming Small Arms Control and Contribution to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, as part of the EU-funded global project on gender mainstreaming small arms control. The three-day training brought together small arms and light weapons (SALW) control and gender experts to interact with parliamentarians, government officials from key ministries as…
Lao PDR reviews policies and laws with view to enhancing gender responsive small arms control
On 10 and 11 March, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR conducted a national consultation workshop with the aim of reviewing the country’s National Action Plans relevant to gender responsive small arms control, supported by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD). The event in Vangvieng was attended by twenty-five participants, representing key institutions and governmental agencies.[1] Experts from UNRCPD and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) joined the event via Zoom…
Parliamentarians and civil society actors across Asia and the Pacific mark International Women’s Day 2022
On International Women’s Day, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), in partnership with the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), hosted an online seminar on gun violence and illicit small arms trafficking from a gender perspective in Asia-Pacific. The event, which was part of a series of virtual and in-person meetings that started in 2018, brought together small arms and light weapons (SALW) arms control experts, parliamentarians, civil society representatives, and gun…
Botswana holds workshop on UNSCR 1540 National Implementation Action Plan (NAP)
On 8 and 9 February, the government of Botswana hosted a workshop with the aim of making progress on its 1540 national implementation action plan (NAP), which maps out priorities and plans for implementing the key provisions of UNSCR 1540 (2004). Under this resolution governments are obligated to take action to prevent non-State actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, their related materials or means of delivery. Workshop participants discussed national measureswith a view to enhancing implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in Botswana On the first…
Include Women and Youth at All Levels of Arms Control, says the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons
From 30 November to 3 December 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) partnered with the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SLeNCSA) and the Mines Advisory Group International (MAG) to conduct a series of capacity-building activities aimed at ensuring that gender considerations are systematically integrated in small arms control policies and programmes in Sierra Leone. The West African country has long been committed to enhancing and advancing global small arms control…