10.12.2024.

Minister Gašić opens conference devoted to female leaders in security and defence

Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić opened the international conference entitled “Female Leaders in Security and Defence: Results and Next Steps” at the Central Military Club in Belgrade today.

He said he was honoured and delighted to greet the participants and open an important conference devoted to the role of female leaders in security and defence. According to him, the topic does not only reflect the changes in our society, but also the necessity to recognize and enhance the role of women in the fields that are traditionally male-dominated.

- These changes are of great importance for the advancement of our collective security framework, because without balance, inclusion and diversity in leadership, security and defence cannot be effective. The role of women in security and defence is not new. In the past, throughout history, women played various roles - they were fighters and strategists, political leaders and peace negotiators. Through various forms of involvement, women bring a new perspective, which is exactly what is needed for an effective and responsible security and defence policy. The role of women in this field is not only to promote equality, but also to introduce different approaches, experiences and abilities - said the Minister of Defence.

According to him, our country has made significant progress in recent years in terms of gender equality, but “there is still a lot of work to be done and it is necessary that we all work together, through dialogue and cooperation, to create an environment where women can reach their full potential in this sector - without prejudice, restrictions, and with full support and opportunities for advancement”.

- I would like to give a brief overview of the accomplishments of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces that I consider the most significant, because they will be discussed in more detail during the two-day conference. We have defined our position in relation to the dominant trends in the world, improved the normative and legal framework, which is the result of harmonization with international documents in this field, provided a theoretical framework for this field through research projects, for the first time in the history of the Serbian army, we have given girls the opportunity to study at the Military Academy, the Medical Faculty of the Military Medical Academy, the Military Grammar School and the Secondary Vocational Military School, informed girls about this type of education and motivated them to pursue it. If they meet the necessary criteria, they are allowed to pursue career development and academic training in all areas, which clears the way for women to increase their representation in the Serbian Armed Forces and take command and leadership positions - Minister Gašić said, adding that the participation of members of the Serbian Armed Forces in UN and EU peacekeeping missions is another significant aspect of the integration of women into the armed forces, and that in 2023 that percentage was almost 14 percent.

According to the Minister of Defence, in the past period, efforts were made to improve the position of women in security and defence through institutional bodies and gender equality mechanisms.

- By implementing these activities and measures, we have removed barriers to equal and full participation of women in all processes. As a result of the resolution of the Ministry of Defence to continuously implement the Equal Opportunity Policy, another step was taken in 2022, a special organizational unit was formed within the Human Resources Sector - the Office for Gender Equality, whose job is closely related to activities promoting gender equality and the implementation of the Equal Opportunity Policy. One of the indicators of progress and the result of all the aforementioned processes is the continuous increase in the representation of women, who now make up more than 26 percent of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces personnel - said Minister Gašić, noting that “Serbia has shown its commitment to the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 by adopting two national action plans so far, and the Ministry of Defence is currently preparing the third one”.

According to Minister Gašić, the adoption of this document has ranked Serbia among those countries that appreciate the importance of equal participation of men and women in conflict prevention and resolution and promotion of a culture of permanent and sustainable peace, with the aim of achieving gender equality.

- I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces who have participated in the planning, organization and coordination of cooperation activities with our partners aiming to promote gender equality in our system, showing a high level of motivation and proving that we are ready to accept modern-day achievements and implement the Equal Opportunity Policy. We believe it is important and necessary to hold gatherings like this, especially in the context of modern challenges and threats, and we believe that our cooperation, exchange of experiences, synergy and commitment over the next few days will help send a clear message and provide strong support for women and their involvement in peacebuilding and peace preservation. We also hope that this will be an opportunity to improve old and find new modalities for future activities. By doing this, we show that Serbia continues to be a reliable partner in promoting international peace and cooperation, with an emphasis on the role of women in those processes - said the Minister of Defence and declared the conference open.

Minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, prevention of violence against women and economic and political empowerment Tatjana Macura also addressed the conference participants. According to her, gender equality is not just a word, but a value that must be integrated into the daily work of institutions, especially in security and defence.

- These are not just fancy words to be flaunted, but a non-negotiable value of every stable, strong, modern state. I would like to emphasize the fact that today women are represented at all levels of the Ministry of Defence and hold high command positions in the armed forces, police and security agencies - emphasized Macura and said that “the number of women in the armed forces and police has increased significantly, which shows that gender policy is producing concrete results”.

In her address, Nina Mitić, Assistant Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, in charge of anti-discrimination policy and promotion of gender equality, emphasized that the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue “strongly supports all activities leading to a more effective implementation of Resolution 1325 and, in that context, supports the strengthening of female leadership in security and defence”.

The conference opening was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, panellists and participants from the country and abroad.

The two-day conference at the Central Military Club will discuss the 25th anniversary of the adoption of UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, the importance of career development for an increased representation of women in uniform in leadership positions in the security sector, and female leaders in peacebuilding operations - challenges and lessons learned. It will also discuss the role of gender-responsive leadership in achieving zero tolerance towards gender discrimination and the responsibility of educational institutions in creating 21st century leaders and the future of female leadership - leadership practices and resilience strategies, obstacles and opportunities for women leaders.