by Michèle Pepe, IANSA Women’s
Network, Ivorian section of the West African Action Network
on small arms (WAANSA)
I would
like to share with you how small arms are affecting women in Côte
d’Ivoire and to tell you what we are doing about the problem. I will tell you
how an Arms Trade Treaty can support the implementation of CEDAW and UN
Security Council Resolutions on women, peace and
security.
Gender
equality, security and economic empowerment are linked. Where there is poverty
there is armed violence. Where there are guns there is poverty. It is a vicious
cycle. Weapons directly prevent women from realizing our rights. They aggravate
the discrimination we face.
I am from
Côte d'Ivoire, and I know this personally because pro-government and rebel
forces have raped and sexually assaulted hundreds of women and girls. Because
the perpetrators continue to hold guns it is impossible for us to get justice.
Impunity is one of our biggest challenges.
After the
election crisis, sexual violence at gunpoint is being committed by all sectors
of society, no longer limited to the armed forces. Outside of Abidjan, carjacking, and the rape of passengers is increasing. Easily available arms and lack of
control from national authorities make this criminal violence possible. Every
case we know about is the story of a woman or girl directly affected by
discrimination maintained by small arms.
Côte
d’Ivoire already has a thirteen twenty-five National Action Plan, but as you
can see it is not being implemented. There is little political space for women.
There are only six women ministers out of a total of forty and only six women
Members of Parliament out of two hundred and fifty two.
Women’s
groups are working on CEDAW and thirteen twenty-five, but they
are limited to grassroots. A major problem is that local community activism
cannot influence power and decision-making. This means our expertise is
overlooked. Women’s political marginalization makes it difficult for us to hold
the government responsible for failing to protect us.
We cannot
collect data on arms transfers. Systems to control the traffic of guns are not
efficient. International arms dealers have ways to get around national laws to
supply arms to anyone who wants them. No arms brokers or traffickers have been
brought to justice. We want the irresponsible arms trade to end.
As you can
see the lack of international and national laws governing the arms trade is
creating conflict cycles. This is why we need a legally binding
gender-responsive ATT: to make CEDAW and thirteen twenty-five real and
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals possible.
Women of Africa are making safer homes,
communities and countries. We are experts in highlighting local and national
issues on small arms and women.
Disarmament, arms control, peace and security processes must reflect our
voices.
