IANSA women's advocacy for the ATT Prepcom

To highlight how the guiding principles of an ATT are directly connected with States’ obligations to implement and strengthen the provisions of Resolutions 1325 and 1820, we have developed a matrix The links between an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), and UN Security Council Resolutions 1325, 1820, 1888 and 1889 for use in advocacy at the PrepCom.

The matrix builds on our 2009 briefing paper Women peace and security: The role of an ATT which argues that global standards for the international import, export and transfer of conventional arms and ammunition should prohibit transfers where there is a significant risk that the transfer will be in used to violate women’s human rights or perpetuate a pattern of gender-based violence.

During the ATT PrepCom, the ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment will take place from 13-15 July 2010. This provides an important forum where Member States and Humanitarian Organizations discuss the challenges, opportunities and activities related to the strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the UN. Of particular interest to IANSA women are two side events taking place on 14 July 2010.

The panel discussion on "Humanitarian assistance operations in highly hazardous, or insecure and unsafe environments” will focus, from an operational perspective, on how to maintain the ability of humanitarian organisations to operate in insecure and high-risk environments and look at issues such as risk and security management for humanitarian operations, coordination with national and local authorities and management of perceptions and acceptance at all levels.

The event ‘Challenges for Gender Equality Programming in Humanitarian Action: Operating in High Risk Environments, Lessons from Haiti and Introduction to New Gender Tools’ will cover new security risk management approaches on the different vulnerabilities and capacities of crisis-affected women, girls, boys and men. It will explain how understanding and responding to gender differences is critical to ensuring quality and accountable humanitarian protection and assistance.

For more information see: http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/julyhls/has2010.shtml