On 31 March, the United Nations Office to the African Union participated in a hybrid webinar hosted by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa on the gendered impact of small arms and light weapons and ammunition on women. The event was held in commemoration of International Women’s Day month.
Organized under a European Union funded project, the webinar examined commitments made by UN Member States at the Fourth Review Conference of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and its International Tracing Instrument to address the gendered impacts of illicit weapons, including as a public health concern.
Discussions highlighted legal frameworks that prohibit attacks against civilians, encouraged wider ratification of relevant instruments by African Member States, and examined monitoring and accountability measures for violations. Participants also explored the need for gender responsive responses that link disarmament, health and human rights.
UNOAU’s participation reflected its continued support to African Union disarmament efforts, including approaches that promote coordinated and gender responsive action across relevant institutions.
