16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence: 25 November – 10 December 2022

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence aims to engage people around the world and disarm all forms of gender-based violence (GBV). Small arms and light weapons (SALW) are used to perpetrate or facilitate GBV and cause serious violations of human rights. GBV involves the use and abuse of power and control over another person and is perpetrated against someone based on their gender identity, gender expression or perceived gender. The goal of this campaign is to raise awareness of the scope of gender-based violence and gun violence by urging officials to take effective measures to address these issues.

IANSA’s theme this year is “Challenge norms: Stop gender-based gun violence!” It aims to challenge hegemonic masculinity norms and abusive masculine behavior that negatively impacts women, girls, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as boys and men. These norms often characterise men as aggressive, independent, and dominant, and women as weak, dependent, and submissive. These harmful norms combine with the proliferation of firearms and other factors to fuel gender-based gun violence because SALW can be used to assert power and put lives in danger of those targeted and discriminated against because of their gender. Critically engaging with and transforming conception of masculinities that could lead to such violence is essential for effective arms control and disarmament.

IANSA has chosen to focus on four key policy points to advocate for this year’s campaign.

IANSA’s key policy points to advocate this year are:

• Governments must develop gender-responsive controls to prevent the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons and to ensure full, equal, meaningful, and effective participation of women in those efforts.
• To establish public awareness and educations programs to prevent gun violence and abusive masculinities.
• All States must implement strict controls to ban civilians holding military specification weapons and keep civilian-held guns to a minimum.
• To disarm and end gender-based and intimate partner violence by implementing legislation and programs to remove guns from homes.

It is important for State governments and parliamentarians, civil society, and all significant stakeholders to work together to stop gender-based gun violence!

View IANSA’s video “All voices heard: United against gun violence!”