The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading inter-governmental agency operating on migration issues. It was established in 1951 and works in partnership with the United Nations on a broad range of migration-related issues. IOM is committed to institutionalizing and mainstreaming gender in all areas of its work and to ensuring that gender issues are an integral part of IOM's planning and actions.

In line with United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), IOM adopted a gender-sensitive approach to Demobilization, Disarmament and Re-integration (DDR) activities and to Security Sector Reform (SSR) programming. In recognizing the impact of armed conflict on women, IOM takes effective measures to guarantee their protection in the framework of emergency and post-crisis operations as well as to facilitate their full participation in peacebuilding processes. Within this framework, a Reparation Project for the victims of war in Sierra Leone has been implemented recently with the objective of providing skills trainings, psychological and livelihood support to women victims of sexual violence, war widows and bush wives.

As a partner with the UN, IOM was one of the 32 UN entities that prepared a 2008-2009 action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security. In the Action Plan, IOM presents examples including an initiative to introduce gender mainstreaming in DDR programmes [4].