1. aaaaa Guns, masculinities and tackling armed violence against women Anna Alvazzi del Frate Research Director, Small Arms Survey, Geneva 29 APRIL 2014

2. RRC Guatemala 2014 VAWG: one of many forms of violence, but Blurred boundaries between interpersonal, community and political violence More violence, more violence against women and girls Endemic violence, poor investigation and punishment => higher levels of accepted violence in the society High rates of femicide, slow criminal justice response, less efficient than for homicide more generally 3. RRC Guatemala 2014 VAWG vs GBV Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one particular form of GBV Gender-based violence may be against women or men Relationship with firearms strongly marked by masculinity Guns mostly owned and used by males against males Female patterns of gun use and ownership often repeat male patterns 4. RRC Guatemala 2014 Too Close to Home Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is present across countries and cultures Femicide Although males are the majority of victims of lethal violence, the risk of IPV is higher for women The presence of guns in the home, including work-related guns, increases the risk 5. RRC Guatemala 2014 Stray bullets and women Injuries caused by stray bullets, traditional or celebratory shootings largely affect women and children as bystanders. In 2013, 50% of victims of stray bullets in Colombia were female Source: CERAC, 2013 6. RRC Guatemala 2014 What can be done? 7. RRC Guatemala 2014 A shift towards equal opportunities for women Perception of women as agents of change, not merely victims An increasing number of policies and programmes addressing firearm violence now seek the involvement of women in their design and implementation. [t]o facilitate the participation and representation of women in small arms policymaking (para. II.A.2.i). 8. RRC Guatemala 2014 Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons 2012 Review Conference, New York 27 August 6 September - (Outcome document, UNGA, 2012) 14. We remain gravely concerned about the negative impact of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons on women, men, children, youth, the elderly, and persons with disabilities and call for improved understanding of the different concerns and needs of these groups. 9. RRC Guatemala 2014 Arms Trade Treaty (2013) Bearing in mind that civilians, particularly women and children, account for the vast majority of those adversely affected by armed conflict and armed violence, 4. The exporting State Party, in making this assessment, shall take into account the risk of the conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) or of the items covered under Article 3 or Article 4 being used to commit or facilitate serious acts of gender-based violence or serious acts of violence against women and children. 10. RRC Guatemala 2014 Security Council res 2106 (2013) Makes important steps, for example calls upon Member States to comply with their relevant obligations to continue to fight impunity by investigating and prosecuting those subject to their jurisdiction who are responsible for such crimes 11. RRC Guatemala 2014 Small Arms Survey 2014 Women and Guns Social norms can perpetuate the cycle of violence But women are not only victims Linkages between gender and small arms, policy and legal responses, women and security agendas Slow shifts in the dynamic between men and women FORTHCOMING 16 JUNE 12. RRC Guatemala 2014 Thank you www.smallarmssurvey.org