Thinking about peace and security in today’s context, including during this year’s Disarmament Week, may feel elusive. Around the world, more than 120 conflicts affect the lives of millions of people, causing widespread destruction, displacement and insecurity. In many places, we see protracted conflicts and situations of armed violence. The result is large-scale humanitarian crises, with high levels of casualties, forced displacement and suffering.
To respond effectively, it is important to consider the different ways in which threats, risks and vulnerabilities are experienced by women, men, boys, girls and gender-diverse persons. By applying this “gender lens”, we can help to improve policy interventions and deliver better outcomes to the various groups affected by violence.
In conflict situations, men and boys are often the majority of those killed and injured, while women and girls are most at risk of sexual and gender-based violence. In most conflicts, applying a gender lens will also uncover patterns which may not be immediately obvious to security experts. For example, women and girls are the ones who bear the brunt of caring for children and injured family members during crises.
Recognizing different patterns of harm
A gender lens is essential to uncover patterns of harm and identify specific needs of different groups of society. A gender lens is not about creating hierarchies or comparing experiences as better or worse; it is about acknowledging different experiences during conflict and learning how to integrate these considerations into humanitarian response, arms control and disarmament, and peacebuilding.
The Arms Trade Treaty is the first multilateral arms control instrument to recognize the differentiated impact of weapons on women, men, boys and girls. Article 7.4 of the treaty requires States Parties to conduct a risk assessment to ensure that exported weapons are not used to commit gender-based violence (GBV) or serious violence against women and children.
At the national level, many countries across the world have taken additional steps to prevent femicides and GBV facilitated by weapons. These include regulations that deny gun licences to people who have been convicted of domestic violence, intimate partner violence, violent intimidation or stalking.
Ensuring that no one is left behind
A gender lens is crucial to inform both immediate humanitarian response and long-term relief and recovery efforts. Access to healthcare in the aftermath of a conflict is heavily influenced by gender, as well as cultural and socio-economic factors. UNIDIR research has shown that women and girls with visible injuries are more likely to experience stigma and social exclusion. Men and boys also experience stigma, which may prevent them from seeking mental health support due to cultural and gender norms.
Inclusive victim assistance has become an important part of humanitarian disarmament treaties and agreements, such as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the Convention on Cluster Munitions, as well as the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. With provisions related to gender- and age-sensitive assistance to victims, these instruments represent a successful step towards the strengthening of a rights-based approach in disarmament.
At the implementation level, however, more resources are needed to assist survivors of conflict, as many affected States struggle to effectively integrate victim assistance into already-stretched national health and social welfare systems.
Anticipating new risks and threats
The means of conflict and violence are changing, and digital technologies are increasingly being used to commit, assist or exacerbate GBV. This evolving phenomenon is commonly referred to as technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV).
As many as 38% of women have experienced some form of TFGBV, and this increases to about 70% of women if we consider human rights defenders, activists and journalists.
The rapid advancements in AI, including generative AI, have amplified TFGBV by enabling new forms of abuse, including the creation of non-consensual deepfake content. Studies estimate that 98% of online deepfakes are pornographic, and 99% of these target women.
When it comes to arms control discussions covering military applications of AI, concerns have already been raised about the need to mitigate gender and racial biases in weapon systems supported by AI. Such biases can make populations invisible or lead to targeting of people on the basis of biased assumptions. As States discuss new frameworks to govern AI and other digital technologies, these issues should be urgently addressed.
From research to practice
UNIDIR’s Integrated Approaches Programme supports States through research, advice and capacity-building activities that ensure gender considerations are part of international security strategies and governance frameworks.
We also deliver programmes that advance women’s equal participation in arms control and disarmament processes – an area where women remain underrepresented.
Our latest data shows that, on average, women represent only 36% of the diplomats attending arms control and disarmament discussions and negotiations.
Achieving gender equality should not be seen as a luxury or a minor task; it is key to overcoming conflict. Where women’s inclusion is prioritized, peace is more likely to last – particularly when women are able to influence decision-making.
Statistical analysis suggests that women’s participation has a positive impact on the durability of peace agreements.
A study of 156 peace agreements concluded that when women are included in peace processes there is a 20% increase in the probability of an agreement lasting at least 2 years, and a 35% increase in the probability of an agreement lasting at least 15 years.
This Disarmament Week, as we are confronted by multiple conflicts and crises, we cannot afford to exclude women from decision-making or to turn a gender-blind eye to the suffering of millions of people affected by conflict and insecurity around the world. Ultimately, a gender lens reminds us that arms control and disarmament are not abstract measures; they are key instruments to protect people and deliver more equitable and enduring recovery.
