The Problem
Gendered dimensions of small arms violence are:
- Poorly understood, even within disarmament communities
- Systematically disregarded in international, regional and national arms control measures
- Not integrated across international security and development agendas (WPS, 2030 Agenda, etc.)
The Solution
GENSAC, a cross regional network of individuals in the security, disarmament, development, peacebuilding and conflict prevention sector from W. Balkans, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa working to advance gender-sensitive approaches to arms control and violence prevention and reduction.
GENSAC, a cross regional network of individuals in the security, disarmament, development, peacebuilding and conflict prevention sector from W. Balkans, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa working to advance gender-sensitive approaches to arms control and violence prevention and reduction.
Goals
Boost
Addressing poor representation and participation of women in small arms control spaces.
Networking, Leadership, Training
Spotlight
Bringing gender to the forefront of international, national, and regional small arms control measures.
Actionable Research, Policy Influencing and Advocacy
Bridge
Serving as a missing link between various agendas, regions, and communities.
Convenings, Secretariat, Digital, Platform
Vibrant and engaged GENSAC community advancing gender responsive small arms control ideas and policies.
Our History

2030 Agenda is adopted and sets out 17 ambitious sustainable development goals. Among them SDG5 to advance gender equality, and SDG16 to promote peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.

Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies are launched as a member-state led multi-stakeholder network to accelerate action on SDG targets related to peace, justice, and inclusion. (SDG16+)
Activists, policymakers, and experts gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to discuss ways to harness women’s leadership to control small arms, promote peace, and address violence on the African continent.

Outcomes from the Addis Ababa meeting presented to policymakers in New York on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development (HLPF).

Launch of the action paper on Disarmament, Development, Gender, and Violence Prevention and working breakfast on the sidelines of the UN Disarmament week during which the idea for a cross-regional network was first raised.
GENSAC is launched at the first-annual conference in Berlin, Germany hosted by the German Foreign Office, with representatives from W. Balkans, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean in attendance.
Who We Are
Network Coordinator

Farida Nabourema
Farida is Togolese, and a well-known activist on human rights, democracy, peace and justice. As a Network Coordinator she is the primary contact for the Network. Farida speaks fluent English and French.

GENSAC is hosted and managed by the
Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies — a multi stakeholder platform set up to realize peace, justice and inclusion and accelerate the delivery of SDG16+. Pathfinders have launched and are committed to supporting a Movement to Halve Global Violence by 2030, and initiatives such as GENSAC and Peace in Our Cities serve as pilot projects to prioritize and scale-up concrete and practical solutions to reduce multiple categories of violence.
The success of the Agenda 2030 depends on dramatic action and achievements when it comes to violence reduction.