Armed violence is an intersectional phenomenon. Its root causes and impact depend on different factors including gender, age, and the social category to which one belongs. Indeed, lethal violence, including firearm violence, is highly gendered, with the majority of both victims and perpetrators being male, and with most of the female victims being killed as a result of GBV committed by men. To better address the specific needs of each category and reduce armed violence, the collection and analysis of sex-disaggregated data on violent deaths is critical.
The Small Arms Survey maintains the Global Violent Deaths database, a tool that combines data from a multitude of national and international sources to map violent deaths in 222 countries and territories since 2004. The database includes figures for women victims of lethal violence, among other indicators.
Although women are victims of firearms, many barriers prevent them from fully participating in decision-making and policy-making to reduce the impact of small arms at the different levels.
Our approach to gender is articulated around three pillars:
- Understanding the gendered impact of armed violence;
- Integrating gender perspectives into national, regional, and international small arms related policies and programmes;
- Ensuring the effective participation of women and civil society in small arms control processes and decision making.
KEY FIGURES:
In 2020, 24% of female victims of lethal violence were killed by a firearm (Global Violent Deaths database)