Central idea

• In August 2019, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) convened a conference to deliberate the incorporation of a gender-responsive approach within the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). The conference centered on the nuanced impact of biowarfare on various genders and the need to comprehend the repercussions of intentional attacks and natural outbreaks on different sexes.

Biological warfare

• Biological warfare, or biowarfare, refers to the strategic use of disease-causing agents like bacteria, viruses, or toxins to harm or incapacitate individuals, populations, or ecosystems for military purposes, potentially causing widespread illness, death, and social disruption.

Gender dynamics in historical biological warfare

• Underrepresentation and Vulnerability: Historical biological warfare highlights gender-specific vulnerabilities, particularly affecting marginalized genders like women due to underrepresentation in research and agent development.
• Apartheid-era South Africa: Deliberate use of biological weapons targeted political opponents; Project Coast attempted infertility in black women.
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases as Weapons: Japan’s 1932-1945 experimentation with sexually transmitted diseases on captives, rape, and forced pregnancy as weapons of war
• Chlamydia and Gender Impact: Chlamydia’s asymptomatic nature categorizes it as a sexually transmitted disease disproportionately impacting women.
• Gender-disparate reactions and anthrax: anthrax disproportionately impacted US biological males (1998–2000). The anthrax vaccine caused stronger reactions in women.
• Anthrax Attacks of 2001: Worst US biological attack, 2001 anthrax attacks resulted in 5 deaths and 17 severe illnesses.

Emerging technology and biological warfare

• Introduction to Emerging Technologies: The rise of gene editing tools, particularly CRISPR, brings novel dimensions to biological warfare, raising concerns and necessitating careful analysis.
• Dual-Use Potential: A 2016 Worldwide Threat Assessment Report categorizes CRISPR as having dual-use potential, with implications for both medical advancements and weaponization capabilities.
• Enhanced Pathogens: CRISPR’s application in gene editing could enhance pathogens by increasing their resistance to treatments and virulence, presenting a novel facet of biowarfare.
• Gender Considerations: The application of CRISPR introduces gender-specific ethical concerns, particularly concerning genetic disorders related to reproductive health and fertility.
• Complex Ethical Landscape: While the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) primarily focuses on offensive research, CRISPR’s versatility demands nuanced evaluation, considering its dual-use potential in both medical research and weaponry.
• Gender and Intersectionality: The impact of CRISPR intersects with gender, ethnicity, and race. It highlights that gender vulnerabilities could be exploited in wartime attacks targeting specific communities, necessitating an intersectional approach.
• Broader Ethical Discourse: The implications of CRISPR’s use within biological warfare extend into a broader ethical and societal conversation, addressing its multifaceted impact and potential consequences.

Enforcement of global biowarfare regulations

• Importance of Enforcement: Enforcing regulations in global biowarfare is paramount to preventing misuse of biological agents. The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) serves as a key framework, but gender considerations are notably absent.
• Highlighting the Gender Gap: The 2019 UNIDIR conference emphasized the need for gender-responsive strategies within the BWC, underlining the significance of accounting for gender dynamics.
• Broadened Scope: The BWC should expand its purview beyond offensive research to encompass emerging technologies like CRISPR, reflecting the changing landscape of biowarfare threats.
• Collaborative Efforts: Effective enforcement requires collaboration among governments, international organizations, and the scientific community. This collaboration should facilitate research transparency and robust biosecurity measures.
• Preventing Misuse: Gene-editing tools, including CRISPR, must be strictly regulated to prevent their misuse for biowarfare. Stringent controls are vital to avoiding their transformation into tools of destruction.
• Advocacy for Gender-focused Disarmament: Noteworthy figures like Izumi Nakamitsu and countries like Norway advocate for gender-focused disarmament, acknowledging the need for gender considerations in the disarmament discourse.
• UN’s First Committee: Norway’s advocacy within the UN’s First Committee underscores the growing recognition of gender representation in disarmament discussions, signaling progress toward gender-inclusive disarmament policies.

Steps to enhance the gender dimension in biowarfare

• Conduct epidemiological research on the differential impact of biological warfare on victims based on sex and gender.
• Advance understanding of sex-related variations in immune and treatment responses to potential biological agents
• Broaden the scope of biological warfare to encompass emerging technology and agents that can target sex, race, or ethnicity-based victims.

Conclusion

• Governments, international organizations, and the scientific community must collaboratively foster regulations, transparency, and biosecurity to avert the inappropriate utilization of gene-editing tools for biowarfare. Open dialogue and international cooperation stand as linchpins in navigating the ethical and security complexities of the CRISPR and biowarfare intersection.

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