IANSA [PDF, 2MB] - PeaceWomen

“As a woman, I won’t feel safe to have a gun in my house. Even if it’s a sensitive
issue, you can still find ways to work on it. And you have to. You can’t just keep saying,
‘can’t’.”
Although the impact of gun violence on women in the region has remained largely
invisible, the proliferation of small arms has prevented women from exercising some
of their most basic rights. Direct and indirect impacts of small arms on women in the
Middle East include armed domestic violence and “crimes committed in the name
of honour”, as well as long term social, economic and psychological effects of
revenge killings between male family members, tribal vendettas and celebratory
shootings resulting in death and serious injury.
Women’s groups have already been working hard to combat violence against
women, but what challenges have prevented women’s groups from engaging with
the issue of small arms? How can women play a role in combating the proliferation
of SALW in the region? What entry points for action have they identified?
This report presents the main findings of an assessment conducted in Lebanon,
Jordan and Occupied Palestinian Territory from January to May 2011 by providing
a situation overview, challenges and entry points for action in each country and presenting
recommendations for future interventions. The findings presented in this
report are based on visits to women’s community organisations, NGOs and
women’s shelters, literature review and media monitoring, informal interviews and
focus group discussions with practitioners, survivors, academics, lawyers, social
workers and activists.
The IANSA Women's Network is the only international network
focused on the connections between gender, women’s rights,
small arms and armed violence.
We are grateful to the Government of Norway
and to Oxfam Novib for their support.
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