Gender Perspectives

Women and men are differently affected by, and involved in, issues related to weapons of mass destruction, small arms and light weapons, landmines and disarmament and development. Since the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), there has been wide recognition that the equal, full and effective participation of women and men is vital to the maintenance of international peace of security.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs began mainstreaming a gender perspective into its work in 2001, with the production, in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women, of a set of Briefing Notes entitled “Gender Perspectives on Disarmament”. In 2010, it issued guidelines for “Mainstreaming gender for the effective implementation of the UN PoA” (an earlier version of the guidelines was issued in 2006).

In addition, the Office for Disarmament Affairs was the first UN entity to develop a Gender Action Plan in 2003. The Office also promotes and supports the implementation of gender-related UN mandates and policies.Through its involvement in the work of UN inter-agency task forces and working groups, and through its organization of and participation in outreach activities.