In the latest action plan, known as the Lausanne Action Plan (2021–2026), CCM States Parties committed to a number of practical steps that integrate gender perspectives and the diverse needs and experiences of people in affected communities into all aspects of mine action and programming.

As the Lausanne Action Plan enters its final year of implementation, it is crucial to assess its impact and reflect on the way forward. This report contributes to that effort by offering an overview of the implementation of action points of the Lausanne Action Plan covering gender, diversity, and inclusion. Drawing on official reporting, as well as an online questionnaire and consultations with States Parties, this report outlines instances of progress achieved regarding the integration of gender considerations and diversity perspectives in treaty implementation, as well as challenges and areas for improvement that could be addressed in the upcoming Vientiane Capital Action Plan.

Citation: Renata Hessmann Dalaqua, Aleksandra Lankamer, and Hana Salama. 2026. Vientiane Calling: Strengthening the Inclusive Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. UNIDIR, Geneva.

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The workshop focused on promoting equality and innovation in international cooperation and capacity building in the nuclear field. It featured expert presentations and open discussions covering a range of approaches to training and technical cooperation.

Citation: UNIDIR and VCDNP, “Promoting equality and innovation in the nuclear field: Workshop report”, UNIDIR, Geneva, 2025.

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This toolkit offers practical explanations of how the WPS and arms control/disarmament policy and programming fields are mutually reinforcing, to help demystify these fields and facilitate their integration. It includes dozens of examples and ideas to integrate arms control and disarmament measures into WPS NAPs. Although the examples and suggestions are non-exhaustive, they can serve as references to inspire action on WPS projects and programmes.

Citation: Myrttinen, Henri, Anastaesia Mondesir, and Mariana Terreros Lozano. Toolkit: Addressing Weapons-Related Risks in Women, Peace, and Security National Action Plans. Geneva, Switzerland: UNIDIR, 2025.

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It analyses 197 National Action Plans on WPS, adopted by 106 States and territories between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2024. In doing so, it demonstrates the relevance of arms control and disarmament to the four pillars of the WPS Agenda: prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls and violations of their rights, the protection of women and girls and of their rights, full and meaningful participation of women in all areas of peace and security, as well as post-conflict and post-crisis relief and recovery.

Citation: Myrttinen, Henri, Anastaesia Mondesir, and Mariana Terreros Lozano. Closing Gaps: Strengthening the Women, Peace and Security Agenda through Arms Control and Disarmament. Geneva, Switzerland: UNIDIR, 2025.

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This year, with the agenda turning 25, the factsheet provides ideas around how AI represents an opportunity and an obstacle for its realization. It also presents an analysis of the current state of the integration of emerging technologies like AI within WPS national and regional action plans.

The factsheet concludes by proposing further areas of action to better include AI in the WPS Agenda, making it fit for purpose amidst changing realities around peace and conflict.

Citation: Shimona Mohan (2025) “Factsheet: Artificial Intelligence and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda”, UNIDIR, Geneva.

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This publication identifies potential actions that would align victim assistance with each of the four pillars of the WPS Agenda. It draws on a literature review and analysis of ongoing victim assistance programmes to show that greater synergy between these policy areas is not only possible but highly desirable, as it can reinforce the implementation of both the WPS Agenda and the APMBC.

Citation: Bénédicte Santoire, “New Directions for the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention: Connecting Victim Assistance with the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda”, UNIDIR, Geneva, 2025.

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The report finds that, despite clear links between the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and CRSV, UN peace operations continue to overlook weapons-related issues in their efforts to address sexual violence. The report offers concrete recommendations to strengthen gender-responsive arms control in support of both immediate protection and long-term prevention.

Citation: Hana Salama. Deploying the Arms Control and Disarmament Toolbox: Strengthening the Role of United Nations Peace Operations to Prevent Sexual Violence. Geneva, Switzerland: UNIDIR, 2025.

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The report traces the evolution of victim assistance interventions over time. It explores how these efforts have been supported through national laws, policies, funding, international cooperation, and systems for monitoring and reporting. In addition, the report examines the current challenges of assisting victims in diverse conflict and post-conflict settings.

It outlines promising practices that promote more inclusive and effective support. The report also identifies priority areas for action that can deliver meaningful change for affected populations, ensuring that victim assistance is sustainable, inclusive and responsive to diverse needs.

Citation: Anna de Courcy Wheeler and Delphine Valette. From Casualties to Care: Implementing Age- and Gender-Sensitive Victim Assistance. Geneva, Switzerland: UNIDIR, 2025.

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This report introduces a novel approach that not only highlights how existing cyber threats may impact people differently based on gender, but also provides actionable guidance to support more inclusive, equitable cybersecurity governance.

Citation: Katharine Millar and Verónica Ferrari, A Novel Approach to the 11 UN Norms for Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace: Guidelines for Gendered Implementation. (Washington, DC: Organization of American States; Geneva: UNIDIR, 2025).

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Citation:Louis Reitmann, “Embedding Fairness: Boosting Efficacy and Innovation in the Nuclear Weapons Space”, UNIDIR, Geneva, 2025.

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This report provides an overview of recent research on the correlation between harm from exposure to ionizing radiation and biological sex. Additionally, it proposes questions for a future research agenda covering gender, radiation impacts and radiological protection standards.

Citation: Amanda M. Nichols, Mary Olson, ‘Gender and Ionizing Radiation: Towards a New Research Agenda Addressing Disproportionate Harm’, UNIDIR, Geneva, 2024.

*Note: The caption for “Figure 2: Cancer incidence by 100,000 by age at time of exposure” should have stated “Exposure rate (0.1 Gy)” per table 12D-1, NAS, 2006, Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR VII). This report has been updated and corrected as of 29 August 2025.

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It also addresses how biases in LAWS have been discussed at relevant disarmament forums like the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) meetings under the Convention on Certain Convention Weapons (CCW).

The factsheet further recommends areas of action for a host of stakeholders to ensure that gender biases are mitigated in military applications of AI.

Citation: Gender and Disarmament & Security and Technology Programmes (2024) “Factsheet: Gender and Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems”, UNIDIR, Geneva, Switzerland.

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Last updated: July 2024

Citation: International Gender Champions Disarmament Impact Group (2024) “Gender & Disarmament Resource Pack”, International Gender Champions Disarmament.

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Al examinar documentos políticos oficiales, las autoras buscan comprender si los enfoques de género en las políticas exteriores en América Latina y el Caribe abordan vínculos relevantes entre la igualdad de género, el desarme nuclear y el ambiente, y cómo lo hacen.

Las autoras concluyen con propuestas para fortalecer el liderazgo de América Latina y el Caribe en este campo, incluso fomentando el diálogo Sur-Sur sobre desarme nuclear e igualdad de género.

Citation: María Pía Devoto; Mariel R. Lucero Baigorria; Ana Levintan. Política exterior, género, desarme nuclear y ambiente: perspectivas desde el Sur, UNIDIR, Geneva, 2024.

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This factsheet outlines direct and reverberating impacts of those weapons and how they vary among women, men, girls and boys. It also offers concrete ideas to mainstream gender considerations in discussions on explosive weapons and in initiatives to protect civilians.

Citation: UNIDIR Gender and Disarmament Programme (2024), “Gendered Impacts of the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas”, Geneva, Switzerland: UNIDIR.

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Citation: United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, and Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (2024). “How Do Gender and Diversity Relate to Mine Action?”, UNIDIR, Geneva.

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Building on decades of work by gender scholars, women’s rights organizations and nuclear disarmament advocates, the papers explore gendered and intersectional dimensions of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, including: demographic diversity among policy communities; justice claims of nuclear survivors; gender gaps in public opinion on nuclear weapons; feminist foreign policies in Latin America and the Caribbean; and synergies between nuclear treaties and gender equality frameworks.

UNIDIR hopes that the analyses presented here will represent a springboard for new and inclusive efforts towards nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.

Citation: Renata H. Dalaqua (ed.) (2024). “From the Margins to the Mainstream: Advancing Intersectional Gender Analysis of Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament”, UNIDIR, Geneva.

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As the OAP enters its final year of implementation, this report provides an overview of the implementation of action points covering gender, diversity, and inclusion, with the intention to assess its impact and reflect on the way forward. Drawing on official reporting and statements made by States Parties, as well as on a survey conducted with key actors in mine action, this report outlines instances of progress achieved regarding gender and diversity mainstreaming, as well as challenges and areas for improvement that could be addressed in the next Action Plan.

Citation: Renata H. Dalaqua, Paula Jou Fuster and Hana Salama (2023) “Beyond Oslo: Taking Stock of Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming in the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention”, UNIDIR, Geneva.

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Citation: UNIDIR and GICHD (2023) “Gender and Diversity in the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC)”, UNIDIR, Geneva.

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The resource also provides ideas to achieve progress in gender and diversity mainstreaming, in line with the CCM Lausanne Action Plan. 

Citation: International Gender Champions Disarmament Impact Group & Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (2023) “Gender and Diversity in the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM)”

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This research seeks to fill this gap by exploring the links between the proliferation of weapons, particularly Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and CRSV and by proposing an arms control and disarmament toolbox that can be leveraged to prevent CRSV at all stages of a conflict.

In addition to supporting short-term and long-term prevention of CRSV, a gender-responsive implementation of the proposed toolbox can contribute to changing gender norms and attitudes by promoting women’s participation in decision-making about security issue – including arms control and disarmament, which has traditionally been a male-dominated field – thereby addressing structural gender inequality, a root cause of CRSV.

Citation: Hana Salama (2023) “Addressing Weapons in Conflict Related Sexual Violence: The Arms control and Disarmament Toolbox”, UNIDIR, Geneva, Switzerland.

Sponsor Organizations: Canada, Germany, Ireland, Norway and Sweden.

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This report analyses submissions received by UNIDIR from 40 organisations around the world. It examines practices that are being implemented to support women’s participation and promote gender diversity, equality, and inclusion in conventional arms control. In particular, the report showcases five best practices that are having a positive impact: Equality directives in public administration; Work arrangements to balance family life; SMART goals and indicators; Panel parity pledges; and Gender-sensitive communication.

Citation: Renata H. Dalaqua, Manaved Nambiar and Hana Salama (2023) “Best Practices for Gender
Equality in Conventional Arms Control: Survey Results”, UNIDIR, Geneva, Switzerland.

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En cada uno de estos tres pilares, la investigación identifica diferentes dimensiones de las actividades relacionadas con la ciberseguridad que tienen implicaciones de género y que, en consecuencia, se deben considerar desde una perspectiva de género.

El informe propone recomendaciones para incorporar la visión de género mediante políticas y prácticas internacionales de ciberseguridad, de modo que se garantice que la ciberseguridad mejora la seguridad de las personas de todas las identidades y expresiones de género, además de la paz y seguridad internacional. La principal conclusión es que estos dos niveles de seguridad no pueden ser separados.

Citation: Katharine Miller, James Shires and Tatiana Tropina (2023) “Enfoques de Género en la Ciberseguridad: Diseño, Defensa y Respuesta”, UNIDIR, Geneva, Switzerland.

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El trabajo analiza los vínculos entre los temas prioritarios de MPS – la igualdad de género, la participación de las mujeres en la seguridad internacional, la prevención de la violencia contra las mujeres y su protección y las necesidades diferenciadas por el género – y la ciberseguridad internacional. También identifica las áreas prioritarias que deben abordarse para garantizar un ciberespacio inclusivo en cuanto al género y que proteja los derechos de las mujeres y niñas.

Citation: Lisa Sharland, Netta Goussac, Emilia Currey, Genevieve Feely, and Sarah O’Connor (2023) “Actualización del Sistema: Hacia una Agenda de Mujeres, Paz y Ciberseguridad”, UNIDIR, Geneva, Switzerland.

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