Today's Edition
MOHAMMAD GHAZAL (WASHINGTON, DC)
Helping advance the rights and participation of women in defence and security and fostering their role in this regard lies at the heart of NATO’s operations and policies, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace, and Security Irene Fellin has said.
Speaking during a media briefing on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington, DC, Fellin highlighted the Alliance’s Policy on Women, Peace and Security, which states that gender equality and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda “are integral to sustainable peace, and are a reflection of our core values and priorities.”
NATO has a unique and important role to play in advancing WPS as both a strategic and a value based imperative, the policy indicates.
“NATO is committed to this policy and to fostering and strengthening the role of women in this regard,” Fellin said, adding that NATO is also working with partners and allies to advance efforts in this context.
The NATO official said the Alliance is looking forward to working with allies and partners in the southern neighbourhood to further make an advancement in the involvement of women and fostering their role.
Fellin added that the upcoming NATO office in Amman will play a key role in pushing efforts forward regarding this issue, commending Jordan’s distinguished experience and achievements in this field.
She highlighted that the Alliance works with partners and allies to advance this agenda through capacity building, training, consultations and other interventions.
“Jordan is a very successful story in this regard… I am looking forward to continuing this engagement and to fostering the role of women in peace and security and strengthening their engagement in the armed forces,” Fellin told media representatives.
Jordan is leading in this front and it has a very positive action plan for enhancing the role of women in security and peace, she added.
Stressing on NATO’s commitment to continued efforts in this matter, she said: “We need to have more women in high level positions in this sector and thus we need to increase women empowerment in peace and security.”
According to the NATO Policy on Women, Peace, and Security, allies pledged to remain steadfast in their commitment to contribute to advancing the global WPS Agenda, as set out by UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on WPS (2000), and all related resolutions adopted thereafter.
NATO recognises the four pillars of the global WPS Agenda, namely participation, prevention, protection and, relief and recovery, as foundational in supporting the implementation of this policy.
NATO recognises the distinct and disproportionate impact that instability, crisis, conflict, and post-conflict situations have on women and girls. Women and girls face declining safety and security, and their rights are being eroded globally, as outlined in the policy.
Women continue to face barriers to full, equal, safe, and meaningful participation in public and political life as well as in peace and security processes, according to the Alliance’s policy.
NATO recognises that in addition to the critical roles that women play in peace and security activities, they are often at the forefront of efforts to support societal resilience, mediate and respond to crises and conflicts, and build peace.
Their full, equal, safe, and meaningful participation in decision-making is critical to the achievement of NATO’s mandate and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area, NATO said.
