Voices of Women: On Guns, Violence and Activism examines the deeply gendered impacts of gun violence through the lived experiences of women across El Salvador, Mexico, Nigeria, and South Africa. While men constitute the majority of direct victims of lethal gun violence, the paper demonstrates that women are disproportionately affected in distinct and compounding ways—through intimate partner violence, sexual violence, coercion, displacement, psychological trauma, and the constant threat firearms pose in both public and private spaces. Drawing on survivor testimonies and activist accounts, the report highlights how firearms amplify existing gender inequalities, reinforce patriarchal power structures, and intensify harm against women and LGBTQ+ communities, particularly in contexts marked by poverty, conflict, weak governance, and impunity.
Rather than relying solely on statistics, the paper centers women’s voices to show how gun violence restricts autonomy, safety, and participation in social and economic life, while also revealing women’s leadership in resistance and prevention efforts. It situates gender-based gun violence as a critical barrier to achieving Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goal 16, emphasizing that peace, justice, and equality are unattainable without addressing the role of firearms. The report also foregrounds feminist activism, community organizing, and innovative approaches—such as weapon destruction and reinvestment in civil society—as essential pathways toward healing, accountability, and long-term violence prevention.
