Gender Trainers from MoD of the FRY Macedonia continue to raise gender awareness among their colleagues in the Ministry
Gender Trainers from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia held two seminars for sixty civilians, officers and NCOs from the MoD on 12 and 13 April in Mavrovo, with the support of UNDP SEESAC.
Developed by Gender Trainers, the aim of the seminars was to increase the awareness on gender equality in the military and further assist the participants in integrating the gender perspective in their work. Topics included the domestic and international legal framework on Women, Peace and Security; the National Action Plan for its implementation; and the national legal framework for protection from discrimination and equal opportunities for women and men.
In addition, the seminar tackled the integration of the gender perspective in defence; the gender perspective in military operations; sexual harassment and violence in peace as well as war. Participants learned about the important role of leadership in integrating the gender perspective throughout the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces.
State Advisor in the MoD Ms. Maja Stojanovska opened the seminars in Mavrovo and thanked UNDP SEESAC for its support and for providing technical support to MoD in integrating gender in the defence polices and practice. Ms. Stojanovska praised the work of gender trainers and emphasized that 1644 officers, NCOs, soldiers and civilians from the Ministry of Defence and the Army attended gender equality seminars which were developed and conducted by gender trainers in 2014 and 2015. In addition, State Advisor Stojanovska informed participants that the new National Action Plan for implementation of UNSCR Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security is being developed for the period 2016 to 2020.
UNDP SEESAC Gender Coordinator Ms. Danijela Djurovic presented achievements of the Gender Equality in the Military project that resulted in the successful regional cooperation between the four Western Balkan Ministries of Defence.
MoD representatives actively participated in the seminar and discussed ways how to introduce the gender perspective into their work.
About THE GENDER EQUALITY IN THE MILITARY PROJECT
SEESAC's Gender Equality in the Military: Strengthening of Regional Cooperation on Gender Mainstreaming in Security Sector Reform in the Western Balkans project aims to create a more conducive environment for the advancement of women in the military in the Western Balkans. With this as its goal, SEESAC is supporting the Ministries of Defense in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Republic of Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in their efforts to ensure better integration, retention and professional development for women in the armed forces; stronger participation of women in decision-making; and gender sensitive change in their organizational culture.