This study examines the repercussions of crossing the 'borders' in the war-torn communities of Lyndhurst/Greenwich in Jamaica. Many of the participants described borders and boundaries as a physical barrier and or an invisible line or point of separation in communities. Many of these borders are created by very young men who exercise an extraordinary power, due to their access to guns and large amounts of cash from illegal activities. These borders affect everyone in the community by restricting movement, violating human rights and perpetuating an atmosphere of fear. Women, however, experience these criminal restrictions and the culture of violence and turf in uniquely devastating ways.

Instead of focusing on the operational gaps hindering the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), this publication argues that gaps are mostly product of the concepts of gender, violence, security that inform the Resolution. Two particular criticisms that have emerged in the analysis of 1325 will be addressed: i) the equation of violence as war, and particularly the equation of war gendered violence as violence suffered by women and girls only; and consequently ii) the idea of war and post-war at the domestic level as the main source of insecurity for women, the international community (of non-warring States) being the main guarantor of peace and security. By emphasising the articulations between war and peace zones both domestically and internationally, this paper will elaborate on one of the facets of violence production and reproduction omitted by the Resolution: armed violence in non war zones.

This briefing paper 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. It argues that international law demands linking the norms of an ATT with UN Security Resolutions 1325, 1820, 1888, and 1889, and obligations under international human rights and international humanitarian law.

An annual report prepared by the Violence Policy Center detailing the reality of homicides committed against women. The study analyzes the most recent Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) data submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This is the first analysis of the 2006 data on female homicide victims to offer breakdowns of cases in the 10 states with the highest female victim/male offender homicide rates, and the first to rank the states by the rate of female homicides.

This briefing is designed for use by organisations and individuals involved in peacebuilding practice and development. It forms part of an online series that synthesizes information on key issues related to small arms and light weapons and outlines recommendations for action.

This study looks at the extent to which domestic violence laws and arms control regimes are aligned in the region in order to inform recommendations for improvements in the legislation and implementation mechanisms, and to build a lobbying platform for civil society opposing violence against women to engage in the disarmament process.

This paper focuses specifically on the nature and extent of armed violence, including sexual violence, against women, both during and after armed conflict as well as within the family domain, thereby illustrating the linkages between the various forms of gender violence. It will also briefly describe some of the interventions aimed at addressing this issue, ranging from UN resolutions to local community based programmes.

This study provides research into the impact of the presence of arms on the lives of women, in particular on gender-based violence involving arms. NGOs in Montenegro often draw attention to criminal offences in which women are exposed to violence involving arms: domestic violence, sexual assaults and trafficking. The data obtained from the Police Directorate reveals yet another aspect of violence against women: criminal offences against the life and integrity of a person committed with the use of firearms.