#Women4Security: EUAM celebrates women’s meaningful participation to build a secure world
October 31, 2020
The European Union, the United Nations and women’s organisations celebrate today two decades since the landmark resolution 1325 adopted by the UN Security Council for the Women, Peace and Security Agenda #WPS2020. This resolution is historical in its approach as it urges all security actors to increase the participation of women in peace and security organisations, protect them from sexual and gender-based violence and incorporate a gender equality perspective in all its efforts. For EUAM Ukraine, this means considering how women and girls experience the security sector and the service it provides and then taking this into account when providing strategic advice and developing plans and activities.
The 20th anniversary of the UN Security Council resolution 1325 is taking place in a world where 2 billion people live in countries affected by conflict. Conflicts exacerbate gender inequalities, particularly against women and girls. However, between 1992 and 2018, only 13% of negotiators, 3% of mediators and 4% of signatories in major peace processes were women. By its very mandate, our mission is bound to implement the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) resolutions and to contribute to gender equality is one of EUAM’s priorities in Ukraine.
On Participation
UNSCR 1325 and WPS urges member states to increase women’s meaningful participation in peace and security processes.
This is the story of Heike Kottmann, EUAM Adviser/Trainer on Criminal Investigations (Odesa) and how it was to be a police officer and woman back in the days in Germany.
As part of the implementation of the WPS Agenda, EUAM Ukraine is working to ensure that there is a gender equality perspective in all our actions, advises and policy. This allows us to adapt all work so as to ensure that men and women benefit more equally from our actions. The Gender Focal Point network consists of 20 staff members from different components and regions and works actively to support the integration of a gender equality perspective in the Mission’s mandate.
Gender mainstreaming and Leadership
EUAM Leadership takes gender mainstreaming seriously. They know that this is not only the right thing to do but also the smart thing. Gender mainstreaming is at the core of UNSCR 1325 and the WPS agenda.
Leaders have the power to contribute to sustainable change. As part of our WPS implementation, EUAM Ukraine provided in 2019 a Gender Responsive Leadership programme which the Deputy Minister of Interior Affairs, Tetiana Kovalchuk, participated in. For this 20th anniversary, discover our series of leadership stories highlighting our women counterparts’ successful contributions to sustainable peace:
