MoDs and AFs in the Western Balkans Review Progress on Advancing Gender Equality in the Military

Representatives of Gender Equality Mechanisms in the Ministries of Defence (MoDs) and Armed Forces (AFs) in the Western Balkans (WB) participated in the Ninth Regional from 2 to 4 March 2016, in Arandjelovac, Serbia. The aim of the last regional meeting before the Project's Final Conference was to review the overall progress and exchange information on efforts undertaken to advance gender equality in defence, through the regional project Strengthening of Regional Cooperation in Mainstreaming Gender in Security Sector Reform in the Western Balkans.

Nine participants from MoDs and AFs from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Republic of Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia outlined results achieved in enhancing gender equality in the military during the project’s implementation. They emphasized that the regional approach was key for successful advancement of gender equality in the military in the Western Balkans.

The project enabled regular sharing of information and knowledge exchange among MODs and AFs in the region, as well as development of joint solutions for the existing challenges. The project contributed to raising gender awareness in the MoDs and AFs, strengthening of gender equality mechanisms, and implementation of gender responsive human resources measures. The project improved the working conditions for women through support for small scale projects and strengthened career prospects for women in the military by supporting their participation in specialized courses.

The regional meeting also enabled discussions on the Project’s Final Conference, planned for June 2016, when key Project results will be presented as well as remaining challenges discussed. 

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.