A/HRC/44/29 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 19 June 2020 Original: English Human Rights Council Forty-fourth session 15 June–3 July 2020 Agenda items 2 and 3 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Impact of arms transfers on human rights Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights* Summary In the present report, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights clarifies the scope of goods to be considered when discussing diversion of arms and unregulated or illicit arms transfers and highlights how these practices have a gendered impact on the human rights of women and girls. In the report, the High Commissioner also notes that ownership and use of arms relate closely to specific expressions of masculinity, power and control that further gender-based discrimination against women and girls, and highlights that addressing gendered root causes of violence is essential. After an examination of measures for preventing diversion of arms and unregulated or illicit arms transfers, the High Commissioner concludes with a number of recommendations. * The present report was submitted after the deadline so as to include the most recent information. GE.20-08143(E) 