The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda has made great strides in Africa, embedding women’s participation in national and regional peace processes, driving the adoption of comprehensive national action plans on WPS, and elevating women’s leadership in conflict resolution. Yet critical protection gaps for women and girls persist.
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including conflict-related sexual violence, continues to be widespread. The illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) not only facilitate such atrocities but also contribute to prolonged instability and the conditions that enable violence against women and girls.
At this virtual event marking the 25th anniversary of the WPS Agenda, UNIDIR will present key findings and insights from its research on strengthening the WPS agenda and SGBV prevention by operationalizing gender responsive arms control.
This event, held in collaboration with the United Nations Regional Centre for Disarmament in Africa, will also provide an opportunity to hear from practitioners from peace operations and national authorities, who will share their insights on implementing gender-responsive arms control and disarmament that contributes to SGBV prevention, a key pillar of the WPS agenda.
Speakers
- Hana Salama, Researcher, UNIDIR
Moderated by: Mariame Camara, Political Affairs Officer, UNREC
*More speakers to be announced soon
When and where
Thursday, 30 October 2025, 11:30 – 13:00 GMT, online via Zoom.
Participation
This event is open to government representatives including national authorities on SALW, WPS focal points, civil society as well as the African Union and United Nations mission experts.
RSVP
Registration is mandatory for participation, kindly register to attend. Details to access the event online will be emailed to registered participants prior to the event.
In collaboration with
