Small Arms will also be regulated by the Arms Trade Treaty

The fourth and last Arms Trade Treaty PrepCom in New York started on a high note with most of the states and civil society organizations represented at this important and historical meeting. The conference hall was filled to capacity but this is not surprising given that the ATT negotiations are on their final leg as the date - 27th July 2012- of signing the treaty draws nigh.

The Global trade in conventional weapons from warships and battle tanks to fighter jets and machine guns remains poorly regulated. No set of internationally agreed standards exist to ensure that arms are only transferred for appropriate use. Many governments have voiced concerns about the absence of globally agreed rules for all states to guard their decisions on arms transfers. This is the basis of negotiating an Arms Trade Treaty.

Delegates are calling up on all states to fully participate in the ATT negotiations.  The guiding principle or slogan is that “we should not disagree until everything is agreed.”

For the first time in the history of ATT Preparation committee meetings, Zimbabwe and USA have joined the rest of the world to support the ATT process.

Another important achievement  is the inclusion of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and ammunitions (which were previously opposed) among the weapons that the ATT seeks to regulate.  The proposal to include SALW was highlighted in the statement from Uganda which was read by head of the delegation Mr. Ahmed Wafuba, the coordinator of the NFP, Kampala Uganda.

EASSI formed part of the delegation from Uganda and we are pleased to have SALW on the list of arms to be regulated by the treaty. We continue to advocate against illicit proliferation of arms in Eastern Africa and to urge member states not to ignore the gender dimensions of these arms.This, we have done through the establishment of a gender and SALW institute that takes place once every year. The Institute enhances the capacity of participants to implement their programmes with gender lens.

FGM: DID YOU KNOW ..?

That February 6 was unanimously adopted at the International Conference on Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) organized by Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) from February 4 to 6, 2003 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. EASSI is one of the organizations that have been fighting FGM in her member countries that practice it. We now have a publication of I-stories of FGM victims, practitioners as well as survivors. Contact us today for your copy at sylvia@eassi.org

In the meantime let your voice be heard in the comments provision below, so what is your take on FGM?

EASSI speaks on VAW and Small Arms at the SOAWR Meeting

Speaking on the intersection between small arms and VAW at Annual General Meeting of the Solidarity for African Women's Rights (SOAWR), EASSI shared that the impact of armed violence on women should not be underestimated. Women are often targets of certain types of violence involving small arms, particularly domestic violence and rape. It is important to make the links between women’s activism and activities to create safer spaces and communities through controls on small arms. Part of this is to build capacity, empower and recognize our own expertise in this field, and promote our work and voices to the wider
disarmament community.

TODAY, we invite all of you to join the Speak Out; Control Arms Now campaign which is a campaign to speak out against gun violence and to promote an Arms Trade Treaty that is sensitive to our needs in the developing countries and as women. The central focus of the campaign is the collection of diverse voices of support for a bulletproof Arms Trade Treaty. By visiting the new campaign website (http://speakout.controlarms.org)  you can not only give your voice in many creative ways, but register events, form groups, and explore and share the submissions of others.

Reproductive Health: UN and Intel unveil initiative on technology-based training for midwives

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the computing company Intel today unveiled a joint effort to strengthen the skills of midwives and community health workers through technology, in a bid to reduce the number of pregnancy and childbirth-related deaths across the world. The initiative will increase the capacity of health workers around the world through software and technical assistance provided by Intel Corporation, and wider availability of higher-quality education through training and materials from UNFPA...

More:

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41076&Cr=unfpa&Cr1=

TODAY'S ISSUE IS...

Economic Empowerment of Women

Female economic power  enhances the "wealth and well-being of nations. Increased income controlled by women gives them self confidence, which helps them obtain a voice in a host of issues including taking care of their reproductive health, educating their children, contributing to household decisions, etc ...

Somalia-Puntland - Displaced Women & Girls Are Vulnerable In A Volatile Land

UNHCR - UN Refugee Agency

http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646c25d-page4.html

Galkayo, located in Somalia's Puntland region, is home to more than 60,000 displaced people who fled war-torn south-central Somalia and harsh drought conditions in many parts of the country. The displaced people are scattered around 21 makeshift settlements in Galkayo. Multiple families often share small, rudimentary shelters made of cardboard and plastic sheets. Despite overcrowding and extreme poverty, it is not uncommon for families to take in abandoned children and elderly people who are on their own.

EASSI Executive Director Nominated to Commonwealth Gender Monitoring Group

In January 2012, Marren Akatsa-Bukachi (Executive Director, EASSI) was successfully selected to be the Africa Civil Society representative on the Commonwealth Gender Plan of Action Monitoring Group for the period 2012-2014.  Her duties start with immediate effect and as part of her new role, she has been invited to participate in a series of Civil Society Consultative Meetings on the Commonwealth Gender Plan of Action to be held in New York from 24-26 February 2012.  

2012 has started on a very good note for us at EASSI and for the Civil Society because who better than ourselves to take our voices to international fora!