WritePeace blog

3D-printable guns and why export controls on technical data matter

New developments in the 3D-printable gun case have revived the debate on the dangers of 3D-printing of firearms and the sharing of their electronic blueprints online. While these developments may only have a limited immediate impact on the proliferation of small arms, this approach has the potential to undermine controls on 3D printing and export controls on technical data more broadly.

Mali holds presidential elections: Polls to the people, power to the incumbents

On 29 July 2018, eight million registered Malian voters will be asked to elect their next president. The elections will mark the end of the first presidential term after the military coup in 2012 and will be the sixth presidential election since the democratic transition in 1991. This blog outlines the upcoming elections and provides an overview to SIPRI’s post-election survey to better understand the expectations of Mali’s population.

Promoting effective implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty: Mapping outreach and assistance in East and South East Asia

Judges as Peacebuilders: The challenges of ensuring access to justice in conflict-affected settings

ILAC’s session on “Legitimacy, Accountability and Access to Justice” in the upcoming Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development provides an opportunity to take a first step in this process by bringing together experts and practitioners on customary justice to identify how such engagement can contribute to the politics of peace.

The talk of the town in Tehran: Can the Europeans deliver?

Dr Tarja Cronberg, SIPRI Associate Fellow and the author of ‘Nuclear Multilateralism and Iran: Inside EU Negotiations’ has revisited Tehran to meet with Iranian high-level officials and the EU, China and Russia ambassadors to Tehran. These ‘Tehran’ interviews form the background for this blog at this critical juncture where the future of the Iran nuclear deal is at stake.

Let’s talk about ‘women’s issues’

Today is International Men’s Day – a day that was first initiated by labour movements to protest against men’s working conditions.

Towards a comprehensive approach to sustaining peace - a reality too complex to tweet? 

Just like UNSC resolution 1325 and follow-up resolutions on Women, Peace and Security, feminist organisations – this time together with researchers – have driven awareness of the gender, climate change and security nexus. There is a long way to go, but there is strong interest from a wide range of stakeholders in supporting research on this nexus, to inform their work.

North Korea and the US: are there ways out?

SIPRI Director Dan Smith reflects on the most recent developments in North Korean–US relations.

From Hollywood to the battlefield: Violence against women affects us all

In advance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, this blog makes recommendations for analysts and policymakers across the field of development and peace.

The Afghan people: Observing nearly 40 years of violent conflict

On Friday 29 September, an Islamic State suicide bomber disguised as a shepherd attacked a Shiite mosque in Kabul as worshippers were leaving. They killed five people and wounded at least 20 others. It was one of numerous attacks in Afghanistan this year.