A/HRC/44/29 violence and economic violence. 32 Gender-based violence against women is violence directed against a woman because she is a woman or violence that affects women disproportionately.33 The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women notes that gender-based violence against women is one of the fundamental social, political and economic means by which the subordinate position of women with respect to men and their stereotyped roles are perpetuated.34 13. In paragraph 2 of its resolution 41/20, the Human Rights Council noted with alarm that diversion of arms and unregulated or illicit arms transfers could have a seriously negative impact on women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of all human rights, increasing the risk of gender-based violence. 14 Small arms and light weapons is the category of weapons most implicated in human rights violations in general, and gender-based violence in particular. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has repeatedly recognized the detrimental impact of small arms and light weapons on women and girls, including those that have been diverted and transferred illicitly.35 In order to understand the harm caused by small arms and light weapons, it is important to acknowledge that they do not need to be discharged to have an impact on the enjoyment of human rights. Rather, their presence at home or in the community, and the threat or implied threat of their use can be sufficient to have a severe impact on human rights.36 15. The Secretary-General has stated that arms control must recognize the relationship between gender and arms in order to play a key role in reducing violence against women and girls. 37 Indeed, gender-sensitive arms control is closely linked to target 5.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals on ending all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere and target 5.2 on eliminating all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation. 16. Diversion of arms and unregulated or illicit arms transfers may have a gendered impact on the rights to life and security of person of women and girls because they fuel the commission of gender-based violence against women. 38 The High Commissioner underscored that women vastly outnumber men as victims of domestic homicide39 and that women living with a gun in their home are disproportionately more vulnerable to being victims of gender-related killings.40 The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has expressed concern regarding the impact that unregulated arms transfers and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons have on the physical security of women.41 The Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences has also indicated that unregulated firearms exacerbate violence against women.42 17. Gender-based violence against women and girls facilitated by diversion of arms and unregulated or illicit arms transfers often results in rape and other forms of sexual violence, 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 6 See the contribution of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, general recommendation No. 28 (2010) on the core obligations of States parties under article 2 of the Convention, para. 19. General recommendation No. 35 (2017) on gender-based violence against women, updating general recommendation No. 19, para. 10. See CEDAW/C/COD/CO/8, CEDAW/C/NGA/CO/7-8, CEDAW/C/CHE/CO/4-5, CEDAW/C/IND/CO/4-5, CEDAW/C/COD/CO/6-7 and CEDAW/C/PAK/CO/4. See the contribution of Ireland. Securing Our Common Future: An Agenda for Disarmament, p. 39. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, general recommendation No. 30 (2013) on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations, para. 32. See the contributions of Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Sweden, Switzerland, the Office for Disarmament Affairs, UNIDIR, UNODC, Project Ploughshares, the Somali Human Rights Association and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. See the contributions of the Office for Disarmament Affairs, UNODC and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. See also A/HRC/42/21, para. 36. A/HRC/42/21, para. 36. See also the contributions of UNIDIR, UNODC and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. See CEDAW/C/COD/CO/6-7 and CEDAW/C/PAK/CO/4. A/HRC/41/42/Add.1, para. 94.