Current Research

Gender-balanced approach to small arms control to strengthen community resilience in Libya (Partnership with UNMAS Libya)

Gender-balanced approach to small arms control to strengthen community resilience in Libya (Partnership with UNMAS Libya)

01/12/2015

In an effort to prevent and resolve conflicts and promote peace and security, the UN Security Council resolution on small arms (S/RES/2220) stressed the utmost importance of women’s full and effective participation in all efforts related to countering the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, in line with UN Security Council resolution 1325. Concretely, the Council urged the international community to take further measures to facilitate women’s full and meaningful participation in all policymaking, planning and implementation processes to combat and eradicate the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons.

Designed and implemented in cooperation with the UN Mine Action Service Libya, the objective of this pilot project was to build the capacity of women in Libyan communities as “agents of change” to raise awareness on the risk associated with small arms, light weapons and ammunition, in order to reduce the risks of its misuse in household, community and society. This project consisted of three workshops held in Tunis, Tunisia—drawing participants from all relevant communities in Libya to ensure equal and inclusive representation—that focused on awareness-raising and risk reduction education related to small arms control. The project aimed to contribute towards strengthening community resilience in Libya and enhancing women’s engagement on the issue of small arms control.