Promoting Female Parliamentary Engagement in Support of the Silencing The Guns in Africa Initiative

Kindly funded by:

Regional Plan of Action

• Call for concrete steps to be taken by your government under the African Union Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns in Africa (Lusaka Roadmap of 2016).
• Urge your relevant government ministries to submit, as applicable, their  2023  Biennial Report under the United Nations Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and LightWeapons  in All Its Aspects (PoA) to the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs, as applicable.
• Encourage your government to make necessary requests for international  assistance in Biennial National Reports to be submitted.
• Advocate for the inclusion of a comprehensive and detailed analysis of gender-related matters in the National Report submitted by your government under the UN Program of Action on Addressing the Illicit Trade in SALW.
• Advocate also for the inclusion of items specifically related to small arms and light weapons in the Women, Peace and Security National Report, urging your government to recognize the gendered impacts of the illicit arms trade in SALW and the need for gender-sensitive approaches in addressing this issue.
• Recommend that relevant authorities review the Outcome document of the Eighth Biennial Meeting of States toConsider the Implementation of the Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects and take necessary steps as outlined during PGA's Virtual Workshops held in January and February 2023.
• Encourage more female legislators in your Parliament actively to participate in addressing the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, including by joining relevant parliamentary committees, and raise awareness about the necessity for engaging more female decision-makers and legislators in this area, in light of the disproportionate impact of this illicit trade on women and children.
• Undertake periodic reviews of domestic firearms legislation within relevant parliamentary committees to ensure that existing legislation effectively addresses all threats related to the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and propose any necessary amendments to current legislation related to small arms and light weapons, as needed.
• Explore possibilities on an ongoing basis for continued regional parliamentary cooperation and collaboration to raise awareness surrounding the Silencing The Guns in Africa Initiative and to identify any additional steps that Parliamentarians can take to promote its implementation.
• Keep PGA informed on a regular basis of any and all initiatives taken pursuant to this Regional Plan of Action