The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) contributes to policy development including on the gender aspects of disarmament, and executes disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation programmes at the regional, subregional and national levels through its three UN Regional Centres for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC); Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD); and Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC). The Secretary General’s Agenda for Disarmament Securing our Common Future calls for greater efforts to be made towards achieving equal, full and effective participation of women in all decision-making processes related to disarmament and for gender-responsive arms control to reduce violence against women and girls in both public and private spheres. UNODA committed to undertake concrete activities in this regard in the agenda’s implementation plan. The Office began mainstreaming a gender perspective into its work in 2001, with the issuance of briefing notes on "Gender Perspectives on Disarmament", followed by a Gender Action Plan, the first such plan at the UN Secretariat. In 2006, UNODA issued guidelines for "Mainstreaming Gender for the Effective Implementation of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms", which were revised in 2010. In addition, ODA supports Member States in the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and General Assembly resolution 65/69 (2011). UNODA chairs the inter-agency coordination mechanism on arms, the arms trade and ammunition (CASA), where gender aspects are fully taken into account. In 2017, CASA adopted a Modular Small-arms-control Implementation Compendium (MOSAIC) module on women, men, and the gendered nature of small arms and light weapons. The module provides guidance for practitioners on implementing gender-responsive programming on small arms and light weapons control. UNODA also participates in UN-wide joint programming to prevent and reduce armed violence. Finally, UNODA has developed a long-standing cooperation with the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) on gender aspects of the small arms / arms trade issue.
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) provides substantive analysis and advice to the Secretary-General on disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation issues. The Office assists Member States in promoting and strengthening multilaterally negotiated principles and norms in all areas of disarmament and non-proliferation. Additionally, it assists Member States in their efforts to prevent the destabilizing and excessive accumulation of illicit small arms and light weapons. The Office promotes transparency, based on the principle of undiminished security for all, and confidence-building measures in the field of disarmament. Through its regional centres for peace and disarmament, UNODA assists Member States in promoting regional approaches to disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation in support of regional and international peace and security.
Weapons of mass destruction, military expenditures, disarmament & development, arms trade, small arms, landmines, cluster munitions, transparency and confidence-building.