Women, peace and security
For 100 years, International Women’s Day on March 8th has honoured the achievements made by women each year in every country. At NATO, women play an important role in building peace and security in many of the world’s most troubled area.
The Alliance is working to protect women in its areas of operation and increase the participation of women in all decision-making processes aimed at managing current challenges as well as preventing future conflicts. A lot has already been achieved, but there is still much more to do.
War and conflict often affects women and children more than men. More than 10 years ago the United Nations (UN) Security Council passed Resolution 1325, which recognises this fact and committed all member states, including all NATO Allies, to ensuring gender considerations were integrated into security work.
NATO is part of much wider international efforts working to break this historic inequality, and to recognise and support the important role women play in building peace and resolving conflicts.
“Would a world in which women enjoyed rights equal to those of men be safer and more stable? It is difficult to say, but ultimately a lasting peace in many of the world’s most troubled areas may depend upon the answer,” says Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General.
Every day female soldiers fight under the Alliance’s flag in areas where women are sometimes seen as second-class citizens. Increasing the number of women in the armed forces is one part of supporting UNSCR 1325, but it is not the only one. Changing the way the Alliance conducts its operations is also important.
In 2007 NATO began working with partners to implement UNSCR 1325. This includes protecting women and children in conflict zones as well as giving them a voice in rebuilding their country in the post conflict phase.
“The challenge for NATO is to ensure that gender perspectives are an integral part of every mission that unfolds,” says Admiral di Paola, Chairman of NATO’s Military Committee.
In September 2009, NATO developed a set of Bi-Strategic Command guidelines that detailed how the Alliance would implement UNSCR 1325 and its additional Resolutions. It also included a code of conduct for military staff.
The guidelines led to gender advisors being placed in the Alliance’s Afghanistan and Kosovo operations. These advisors help change the way soldiers on the ground work and interact with local women, increasing operational effectiveness.
“Sometimes we relate gender too much to standards of behaviour, codes of conduct, and how many women we have in the armed forces. Gender is more than that; it is a different way of looking at the world,” says Lieutenant Commander Ella van den Heuvel, former-ISAF Gender Advisor.
The Alliance is also working to educate and train its staff to develop better operational procedures within NATO and will continue to monitor the outcomes of these changes to define improvements for the future.