GENDERED IMPACTS OF THE
USE OF EXPLOSIVE WEAPONSIN POPULATED AREAS
Explosive weapons refer to conventional weapons that are activated by detonation of a high-explosive substancecreating blast and fragmentation. They include artillery shells, missile and rocket warheads, mortars, aircraft bombs andimprovised explosive devices (IEDs), among others.

When used in populated areas suchas cities, towns and villages, explosiveweapons can cause grave humanitarianharm.

In addition to direct effects, the use ofexplosive weapons in populated areas(EWIPA) can cause indirect effects, which
spread out over space and time, putting
individuals and communities at risk.

The impacts of the use of EWIPA vary
among women, men, girls and boys.

W H AT I S T H E E V I D E N C E ?
E XA M P L E S O F G E N D E R E D D I R E CT I M PACT S O F T H E U S E O F E W I PA
Men comprise most of direct casualties of explosive weapons
attacks among civilians and face a higher risk of death andinjury due to their movement patterns and gender roles.
Pregnant women are put at additional risk by blast waves
which leads to pregnancy-related complications andmiscarriages.
The use of explosive weapons often results in explosive
remnants of war and children account for roughly half of thecasualties from explosive ordnance around the world.

Attacks by explosive weapons in residential areas andmarkets can disproportionately affect women in contexts
where they have the primary responsibility for buying foodand household goods at markets.
Following explosive weapons attacks, children have adisproportionate requirement for health services – both
surgical and otherwise – and experience injuries of a greater
intensity than adults.
Children are more likely to die from a blast injury than adults.

E XA M P L E S O F G E N D E R E D I N D I R E CT I M PACT S O F T H E U S E O F E W I PA
Physical trauma resulting in disabilities have differentiatedimpacts on women, men, girls and boys. Women withdisabilities are often seen as a burden on their families andgirls with disabilities are less likely to attend school. Men withdisabilities can face economic discrimination as well as theloss of their social status.
The indirect effects of life-altering injury ripple out acrossfamilies and communities, increasing the number of womenheaded households and leading women and girls to take on
additional unpaid caregiving roles.
Destruction of schools can exacerbate gender inequalities
and expose girls and boys to various risks, such as earlymarriages and recruitment into armed groups.

Destruction of hospitals and disruption in health services
increases maternal mortality.
Destruction of housing and other infrastructure often leads
to the establishment of informal settlements and forced
migration, exposing women and girls to higher risks ofsexual abuse and gender-based violence.
When schools reopen, girls are less likely than boys to return
due to security perceptions and gender norms.
In the aftermath of conflict, gender roles can shape distinct
experiences of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) andsocial stigma among women, men, girls and boys.

T H E E W I PA P O L I T I C A L D E C L A R AT I O N
Since 2022, 85 States have adopted The Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from theHumanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas.
Through this Declaration, States commit to:
Restricting or refraining as appropriate from the use ofexplosive weapons in populated areas, when their use
may be expected to cause harm to civilians or civilianobjects.
Take into account the direct and indirect effects oncivilians and civilian objects which can reasonably beforeseen in the planning of military operations.

The Declaration recognizes the gendered impacts of EWIPA
and its operative section requests States:Collect, share, and make publicly available disaggregateddata on the direct and indirect effects on civilians andcivilian objects of military operations.
Adopt a holistic, integrated, gender-sensitive, and nondiscriminatory approach to victim assistance.

These provisions are important because knowledge about the different risks and vulnerabilities faced by women, men, girls andboys can inform military operations, enhance the protection of civilians in armed conflict and support humanitarian response.

ADDITIONAL AREAS FOR ACTION
E N D O R S I N G S TAT E SSUPPORT and fund the work of the UN, ICRC andnon-governmental organizations in collecting genderdisaggregated data and researching genderedimpacts on the direct and indirect effects of the use ofEWIPA.
APPLY a gender perspective in the implementation ofexisting obligations under International Humanitarian
Law with regards to the use of explosive weapons.
INTEGRATE gender and age disaggregated data on
the direct and indirect impacts of the use of EWIPA
into the planning of military operations, to enhance
understanding of the operational environment andhelp avoid civilian harm.
APPOINT trained Gender Advisors in appropriate
positions of influence in militaries to provide advice
and analysis for commanders and planning teams.
CONSULT relevant governmental entities and/or local women’s organizations to gain a better
understanding of gender-specific risks and needs in
pre-deployment training and operational planning.

A L L S TAT E S A N D S TA K E H O L D E R SSHARE best practices for integrating genderconsiderations into policies and practices to help
avoid civilian harm.
SUPPORT and fund research on the indirect effects
of EWIPA, including its impact on sustainable
development and gender equality.
ACKNOWLEDGE the gendered impacts of the use of
EWIPA in statements, resolutions, and declarations at
multilateral meetings.
INCLUDE survivors and their representative
organizations, as well as first responders anddevelopment actors, in international discussions in
EWIPA related meetings.
EXPLORE synergies between the Women, Peaceand Security agenda and the Declaration, in orderto ensure women’s participation in efforts to protect
civilians in armed conflict.

To learn more about the UNIDIR Gender and Disarmament Programme, visit unidir.org/gender