KATHMANDU, APRIL 3
Small arms and light weapons (SALW) continue to be a major cause of armed violence around the world. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by their misuse, including domestic abuse, community insecurity, and conflict-related sexual violence.
For far too long, initiatives to combat illicit small arms proliferation have been inadequately integrated into other important priority areas, such as Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). However, the 2024 Review Conference of the United Nations Programme of Action on SALW has taken steps to change this approach.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which was pivotal in advancing women's participation in peace and security. Despite increased global support, many countries still struggle to put commitments into action.
To strengthen the link between these two agendas, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), with support from the European Union and in collaboration with Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted an informal regional meeting in Kathmandu on April 2-3.
The meeting brought together government officials, civil society actors, and regional and international partners from Asia and the Pacific to discuss how to better incorporate gender perspectives into arms control.
The discussions were held on recent global developments, such as the growing emphasis on gender in disarmament and the implementation of new frameworks for safer ammunition management, with the goal of identifying practical ways to better align small arms control with the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda.
A Shift from Militarized to Inclusive Security
For too long, discussions on security and disarmament have been dominated by state-centred and militarised perspectives. This traditional approach must evolve. True security is not merely the absence of war but the presence of justice, dignity, and human rights for all.
The presence of weapons, regardless of ownership, enables cycles of violence and oppression. Women, sexual, and gender minorities suffer the brunt of armed violence-not only in conflict zones but also within their own communities. Small arms exacerbate gender-based violence, restrict civic spaces, and uphold patriarchal control. A gender-responsive disarmament effort must directly confront these realities.
Patriarchy is fundamentally about control-over land, nature, women, and marginalised communities. To sustain this control, it depends on armies and weapons. The militarisation of society is not random but a deliberate tool of patriarchal dominance. Transforming security structures requires dismantling these power imbalances rather than merely managing their symptoms.
Gender equity in security is not just about participation. If women and gender minorities are merely included within patriarchal structures without changing the foundational rules, systemic injustice persists. The Olympics serve as an example: originally designed for men, they later accommodated women, but rarely have sports been reimagined in ways that leverage women's natural strengths. Similarly, arms control mechanisms often sustain male-dominated power dynamics rather than challenge them. In contrast, disarmament aligns with matriarchal principles-focusing on peace and collective well-being rather than domination.
Why Are Any Weapons in Any Hands Problematic?
Weapons Are Instruments of Control, Not Peace: Whether held by states, paramilitary groups, or individuals, weapons exist to harm, threaten, and exert power over others. Even so-called "defence" weapons reinforce the legitimacy of violence.
Weapons Enable Structural Violence: Armed violence fuels military occupation, police brutality, and domestic abuse, reinforcing systems of oppression.
Weapons Normalise Militarisation: A world saturated with weapons conditions societies to accept war and violence as inevitable. True peace demands dismantling this mindset, not just restricting arms access.
Weapons Drain Resources: Global military spending has surpassed $2 trillion in recent years. Redirecting even a fraction of these funds toward healthcare, education, poverty alleviation, and climate action would yield far greater security.
Matriarchal Approaches to Peacebuilding
A matriarchal peace paradigm is not merely the inverse of patriarchy; it is a philosophy rooted in care, collective well-being, and harmony with nature. Unlike patriarchal security models, which rely on dominance and division, matriarchal approaches foster coexistence and relationship-building to ensure peace. Key principles include:
Disarmament as Sustainability: Recognising that security built on the threat of violence is not sustainable.
Women and Gender Minorities in Security Governance: Ensuring marginalised voices are central to policy making.
Restorative Justice Over Punitive Measures: Shifting from punishment-based responses to healing-centred conflict resolution.
Environmental Harmony: Understanding that violence against nature and marginalised bodies are interconnected struggles requiring joint solutions.
A New Paradigm for Disarmament and Peace
From Militarised Security to Human Security: Security should be redefined beyond state-centric models to prioritise access to healthcare, education, economic opportunities, and legal protections-especially for marginalised groups.
Gender Analysis in Arms Control: While the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) acknowledges the role of gender-based violence in arms transfers, enforcement remains weak. Stronger accountability mechanisms must be implemented.
Feminist and Queer-Led Peacebuilding: Traditional peace negotiations often exclude women and gender minorities. Their meaningful participation at all levels must be ensured.
Economic empowerment as disarmament: economic deprivation fuels armed violence. Investing in social enterprises and livelihood programs disrupts cycles of violence and empowers communities.
Challenging Traditional Power Structures
A matriarchal peace model prioritises inclusion, environmental harmony, and compassion. Can societies shift their investments from weapons production to healthcare, education, and food security? Why do nations need militaries at all?
Patriarchal governance depends on militarisation for control, but matriarchal principles reject domination. The idea of a world without weapons may seem unimaginable due to centuries of conditioning under patriarchal propaganda. However, it is time to question these long-held beliefs and take bold steps toward a world built on justice, inclusion, and peace. The time for transformation is now.
