14.03.2014.
Improvement of the representation of women in the security sector
Report of the Political Council of the Government on the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 in Serbia was adopted unanimously yesterday, at the session of the highest institutional body of the Government for the implementation of the aforementioned action plan – Political Council, which was held at the Ministry of Defence.Political Council of the Government, the sixth consecutive session, chaired by Zoran Djordjevic, State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, summarized the results of three years of implementation of the said Resolution in Serbia and stressed the importance of establishing almost all institutional bodies and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming in the country, including the multi-sector body of the Government, analytical groups and research teams, female gender advisors and "person of trust" in the state administration bodies. It is important to point out that the meetings of the Political Council in the previous period were attended by representatives of the Trustee for the Protection of Equality, Ombudsman, Commission for Monitoring the Implementation of the NAP of the National Assembly.
In addition, the new composition of the Political Council which consists of 12 representatives of relevant ministries, administrations, offices and agencies of the Government, almost every month regularly holds its meetings and meetings of its working bodies (Working Group of the Political Council for Promoting the implementation of the NAP, the Working Group of the Political Council for guiding of the work of Multi-Sector Coordinating Body and the Working Group of the Political Council for the creation of political preconditions for achieving the goals envisaged by NAP).
The report that the Political Council is going to submit for further consideration and adoption to the government, and then to the Commission for monitoring the implementation of the NAP for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 at the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, but also forward to the Mission of the Republic of Serbia at the UN Headquarters in New York, will certainly emphasize significant results, but also the existing problems during the implementation of the NAP 2010-2013 and present the recommendations regarding the implementation of this plan by 2015. The report addresses the need for greater role of women, not only in the armed forces, but also in the local community – which makes an essential part of the political reform of the society, in order to affirm the role of women as a significant and numerous human resource which has not been adequately utilized in the security yet. However, one cannot overlook the fact that, thanks to the NAP, there has been a significant increase in the representation of women in the military, police and customs, as well as greater representation of women at all decision-making levels in the society.
At the yesterday's session of the Political Council it has been particularly stressed that the Republic of Serbia is one of the first countries in the world that has adopted a national report on the implementation of the NAP for the implementation of the UNSCR 1325, having in mind that the debate on that issue will be raised by the UN Secretary General, after all member countries of the World Organization make and send their national reports on this issue by 11 April 2014.
The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 – Women, Peace and Security was adopted in 2000 to highlight the harmful effects of armed conflicts on women and girls and emphasized the importance of women's role in peace-building and post-conflict recovery of the country. It is one of the most important UN resolutions in the field of peace and security policy, and more than thirteen countries in the world, including the Republic of Serbia, developed and implemented an action plan for its implementation.
After three years of implementation of the National Action Plan in our country, there has been significant progress in achieving the seven general objectives contained in the NAP and the establishment of multi-sector cooperation of all bodies of the state administration, as well as cooperation between the state administration bodies and organizations of the civil society and some international organizations on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in Serbia, especially with the UN Women Entity, UNDP/SEESAC and the OSCE Mission to Serbia.
