Forgotten Casualties of War: Girls in armed conflict
This report, published in April 2005 by Save the Children, finds that around the world up to 120,000 girls, some as young as eight, have been forced to become front-line fighters, or are otherwise supporting armed groups. Reports of girls being used within armed groups come chiefly from Colombia, East Timor, Pakistan, Uganda, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and West Africa. The roles of the girls vary from being actual soldiers through to serving as porters, cleaners and cooks. Almost all are forced to serve as sex slaves or ‘wives’. The report concludes that the current process of DDR fails and discriminates against girls. Until the international community funds reintegration programmes that reflect girls’ needs, the cycle of violations against girls will continue unchecked. Left to fend for themselves in a climate of hostility, suspicion and fear, they will remain isolated – physically, emotionally and developmentally. The report is online here:

Gender, Conflict and Development
Published by the World Bank in April 2005, this book highlights the gender dimensions of conflict, organised around themes such as female combatants, sexual violence, formal and informal peace processes, the legal framework, work, the rehabilitation of social services, and community-driven development. For each theme, the authors have analysed the gender-specific roles of women and men before, during, and after conflict, the gender role changes throughout conflict, the development challenges in sustaining positive gender role changes and mitigating negative effects, and the policy options for addressing these gender roles, dynamics, and challenges. The suggested policy options are intended to be gender- as well as conflict-sensitive, and ideally should contribute to more equal gender relations. The relevance and applicability of the policy options are identified and key considerations outlined for the Bank to take into account in assessing policy options. Finally, further research areas are suggested on the gender, conflict, and development nexus.

Sudanese Women’s Priorities and Recommendations to the Oslo Donors’ Conference on Sudan
A report from the Oslo Donors’ Conference on Sudan held 11-12 April 2005, in which Sudanese women requested that at least 80% of contributions go towards reducing stark gender inequalities in law, policy and practice, and directly benefit women and girls from disadvantaged communities and rural areas to increase their capacities and access to resources. Specific areas requiring immediate attention are access to basic health and social services, support for pro-poor economic policies to improve women's livelihoods and ensure food security, removing gender discrimination in education and training, and urgently confronting rampant gender-based violence. The report is available here.

Putting a Human Face to the Problem of Small Arms Proliferation: Gender Implications for the Effective Implementation of the UN Programme of Action
This paper by International Alert, published in March 2005, examines the relevance of gender for the effective implementation of the 2001 UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms & Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA). It provides suggested textual changes for consideration when the PoA is reviewed in 2006. The paper is intended to assist small arms practitioners who are currently implementing the PoA, as well as practitioners in development and conflict contexts to enhance effectiveness of their work through gender-aware analysis and practices. It is specifically aimed at policy makers (including UN General Assembly 1st Committee members) as they discuss new agreements that will complement the current PoA and potentially revise the text in 2006. The paper is available here.

Study on Gun Ownership and Intimate Partner Abuse
The winter 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association contains the results of a study on the prevalence of gun ownership among men who physically abuse their partners. Contrary to popular belief, the research found that gun owners and non-gun owners were equally likely to have threatened their partners with knives. However, gun owners were 8 times more likely than non-gun owners to have threatened their partners with guns. The full study can be found at: http://www.jamwa.org/index.cfm?objectid=180A5A8C-D567-0B25-5C4965467A78B8AA. There is also an article by the same authors discussing the study in the April 2005 edition of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue’s Small Arms & Human Security Bulletin, available in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Portuguese here.

Entre Atenas e Esparta. Mulheres, Paz e Conflitos Armados
(Between Athens and Sparta: Women, Peace and Violent Conflicts)
This book by IANSA member Tatiana Conçalves Moura, currently available only in Portuguese, is the first of its kind from Portugal. The book provides an analysis of the major feminist critiques of traditional International Relations theory, and then examines feminist contributions to the analysis of armed conflicts and the UN post-conflict rehabilitation standard operating procedures. For information: tatiana@ces.uc.pt

Child Soldiers Newsletter, Issue 13, Spring 2005
This newsletter, produced by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, contains an article outlining the problems girls face on returning home from armed forces and groups. It asks how we can make sure that reintegration works, concluding that we need to talk to girls and other vulnerable groups, to find out what they need and how we can reach them without putting them in more danger. The newsletter is online here.

Gender-based Violence Bulletin, Volume 1, Numbers 2 & 3, March 29 and April 28 2005
These monthly bulletins from the Pan-American Health Organisation focuses on the link between women’s health and violence, primarily intimate partner violence. They are available in English and Spanish.

Gender Guidelines for Mine Action Programmes
These guidelines produced in February 2005 by the UN Mine Action Service highlight a range of gender considerations that should be taken into account in four of the five main areas, or ‘pillars’, of mine action: (1) Mine clearance, (2) Mine risk education, (3) Victim assistance, and (4) Advocacy. While the fifth pillar, stockpile destruction, might offer opportunities to advance the goal of gender balance, no relevant gender considerations have yet emerged for inclusion in the guidelines. This document is intended to help UN mine action policy makers and field personnel incorporate gender perspectives in all relevant mine action initiatives and operations. It is online English, French, Spanish, Russian and Arabic here.

Burundi: The Impact of Small Arms and Armed Violence on Women
This study published by the UNDP’s Small Arms Reduction Programme for the Great Lakes Region (SARP) in November 2004 documents women’s experiences with armed violence in Burundi, examining the consequences for female livelihoods, families, reproductive health and safety. It is estimated that 80% of households in the capital and larger provinces possess small arms. Although Burundian women described mild improvements in human security resulting from the November 2003 ceasefire, they also attested to an increase of three other forms of armed violence specifically affecting women: revenge (‘private justice’), sexual predation, and illicit economic gain. Automatic weapons, homemade rifles, pistols and hand grenades are regularly sold, rented or loaned for use in armed robbery and road ambushes. Armed rape often accompanies these attacks. Provincial officials in Gitega, Ruyigi, Ngozi and Makamba assert that arms proliferation is ‘under control,’ yet rural and urban women speak unanimously of living in a state of ‘generalised fear.’ The full report is online here.