After a month of intense negotiations, the Arms
Trade Treaty Diplomatic Conference ended without a treaty. The Chair,
Ambassador Moritan of Argentina, stated, “my apologies are very deep because I
was not up to the circumstances.” It is not the end, however. There will be
other opportunities, among them at the General Assembly.
Mexico made a statement on behalf of 90
states declaring: “We are determined to secure an Arms Trade Treaty as soon as
possible. One thatwould bring about a safer world for the sake of all
humanity.”
In terms of IANSA’s
advocacy linking gender and women's rights to the arms trade, we have made big
strides. Considering that diplomats involved in the ATT process did not think
gender had anything to do with this treaty when we began, thefact that
gender-based violence made it into the draft with such widespread support shows that IANSA Women’s voices have been
heard. The prominence and acknowledgement of GBV is an achievement in itself
and will serve as a good basis to continue
to make the links between gender and small arms control. We can hold
governments accountable and begin to create a new norm, that the risk of
gender-based violence must be considered before approving international arms
transfers.
Direct Link to Full 4-Page Policy Paper: http://www.iansa-women.org/sites/default/files/Joint_policy_paper_gender_att_final_june2012.pdf
Note
The IANSA Women's
Network is the only international network focused on the connections between
gender, women’s rights, small arms and armed violence.
*EASSI is a member of the IANSA Women’s Network
