Disarmament in Review
“You are part of a growing community of women trailblazers who are shaping the future of safe, secure and sustainable ammunition management,” said Rebecca Jovin, Chief of UNODA Vienna Office in her closing remarks. “We look forward to seeing the many ways in which you will continue to lead and inspire.”
With this powerful message, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) concluded the third UN SaferGuard Training for Women Ammunition Technical Experts on the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG), held from 30 June to 11 July 2025 in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. The training was organized in close collaboration with the Austrian Ministry of Defence and the Ammunition Management Advisory Team (AMAT) and with the support of the Small Arms Survey.
This year’s training brought together 15 women technical experts from national military and security forces representing 15 countries: Algeria, Austria, the Bahamas, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Cuba, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lithuania, Maldives, Pakistan, Peru, Switzerland, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The training aimed to strengthen participants’ technical knowledge of safe and secure ammunition management in line with the IATG, while also promoting gender equality and women’s leadership in this traditionally male-dominated field. Over two intensive weeks, participants engaged in a comprehensive curriculum covering key topics such as risk management, surveillance and proofing, quantity distances, licensing and explosive storehouse assessments. Practical exercises, including live assessments of ammunition storage sites, enabled participants to apply their learning in real-world scenarios. The training also served as a platform for exchange on issues around incorporating gender perspectives and promoting women’s meaningful participation in ammunition management.
The 2025 training was facilitated by a dedicated team, including three women trainers from the Ministries of Defence of North Macedonia and India and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uganda. The trainers, two of whom are alumnae of previous editions of this training, were mentored by AMAT to support the delivery of this year’s programme. Their return as trainers underscores the initiative’s lasting impact and its role in fostering continuity and capacity development. All partners demonstrated strong commitment to the initiative’s success, with Austria reaffirming its multi-year support through 2028, announcing plans to pilot a regional chapter in Nairobi in January 2026 focused on Africa and showing high-level engagement, including two meetings with Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner, highlighting its dedication to advancing women’s participation in security and ammunition management.
This year’s training also coincided with a key development at the global level: the successful conclusion of the first Preparatory Meeting of States on the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management. The meeting reaffirmed the need to strengthen national capacities for safe and secure ammunition management and to promote women’s meaningful participation. The continuation of the training directly contributed to these global goals.
This training is part of a broader effort to expand the Women Managing Ammunition (WoMA) Network, a global platform that supports women professionals in the field. Participants were encouraged to remain active in the network and to engage further through the newly launched WoMA+ Initiative, which facilitates the participation of network members in international ammunition management forums.
As the 2025 cohort returns to their home countries, they carry with them not only enhanced technical skills but also a strengthened support network and a shared commitment to safer, more secure and inclusive ammunition management.
