A new study examines how the international arms trade intersects with states’ obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), with particular attention to states’ extraterritorial obligations. It argues that arms transfers can contribute to patterns of gender-based violence and discrimination against women, especially in conflict-affected and fragile contexts. The study analyses the evolving interpretation of CEDAW and related human rights frameworks, emphasizing that states have due-diligence responsibilities not only within their own territory but also beyond it when their policies – such as arms export decisions – create a foreseeable risk of harm to women’s rights abroad.
The publication further shows how CEDAW standards can complement international arms control instruments, including the Arms Trade Treaty, by requiring gender-sensitive risk assessments and stronger accountability mechanisms in arms transfer decisions. It concludes that integrating women’s rights considerations and extraterritorial human rights obligations into national export control systems is essential to preventing gender-based violence and ensuring compliance with international human rights law. The study therefore calls for closer coordination between human rights bodies, disarmament frameworks, and national authorities responsible for arms trade regulation.