The Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations started their operational activities by arranging an international workshop in immediate association to the inauguration with representatives from UN, NATO, EU, and OSCE and the participating Nordic countries.
The aim for Armed Forces is to reach a more rapid and increased effect in Peace Support Operations by adjusting military operations to identified target audiences specific needs and current security situation.
- Traditionally, the importance of gender perspectives in operations has been underestimated and we are experiencing a great need of collaboration. Through the establishment of a Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations, we take one small but important step, making sure that we integrate gender perspectives into the planning, execution and evaluation of any military operation, the Supreme commander Sverker Göranson said in his inauguration speech. To have a gender perspective is to be able to detect if and when men and women are being affected differently by an operation due to their gender. If we can access information from the entire population in a mission area, the possibility for success and long term stability increases.
Learning from experience
The Swedish Armed Forces have employed Gender Advisors in strategic, operational and tactical level and all personnel deployed for mission will receive a fundamental education in UNSCR resolutions regulating women, peace and security.
International organisations as well as non-governmental organisation active in peace support operations also have gender advisors but there’s a growing demand to find forms and structures to support and cooperate between different actors in conflict areas.
Lessons identified and learned from various mission areas trying to implement a gender perspective must be considered when developing education for civilian and military personnel. It’s of great importance for nations, organisations and military to share knowledge, expertise and information to be able to improve the implementation of a gender perspective.
These tasks are the main focus areas for the established Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations.
Workshop as a start signal
- Together with the Nordic countries, the UN, NATO, EU and OSCE we’ve begun a 2-day workshop to identify the broad outlines for a future cooperation, says Cdr Jan Dunmurray, commanding officer for Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations. This type of coordination and cooperation has been sought after and with the comprehensive knowledge the participants of the workshop possesses we can achieve greater results together than what each and one nation or organisation can by itself.
According to Jan Dunmurray the workshop objectives is to find a simultaneous vision of where the road lead ahead in policy and doctrines that regulates Gender perspectives, how to educate and train personnel deployed in Gender positions as well as their commanding officers and how to improve the collection and sharing of lessons learned and experiences from previous missions.
- The centre will not be in charge of the different questions at issue but will act to support the nation or organisation in lead to be able to develop their contribution at most through our expertise. It’s in our great expectation that we can provide for transparency and susceptibility between all actors so that gender related issues will receive greater impact in all military operations, Jan Dunmurray continues. This will benefit everyone involved, above all the people living in conflict areas. It’s the operational effect that is our guiding star.