24.06.2014.
Conference about women in defence and security sector
State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Zoran Djordjevic opened today, at the Media Center in Belgrade, a two-day regional conference “Women in Uniform – Strengthening Women’s Position in Defence and Security Sectors” organized by the Fund for Social and Democratic Initiatives (FOSDI).State Secretary Djordjevic informed the attendants on results of the application of the National Action Plan (NAP) for the Implementation of Resolution 1325 “Women, Peace and Security” in Serbia.
- The Republic of Serbia, as a potential member of the European Union, appreciates the fact that the European Commission and the European Council, in their decrees and acts, stress the importance of equal participation of man and women in defence and security sectors. In Serbia, many normative and strategic acts have been passed that involve protection of women, ban on discrimination and gender equality. In the past three years, Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces of Serbia, in cooperation with the state management institutions, non-government organizations and international subject, have successfully realized activities during implementation of NAP. With including gender perspective in the reform of the defence system of Serbia, our country confirms to be actively contributing to processes of establishing peace, stability and security on a national level, in the region and worldwide – Djordjevic said, expressing hope that the results of the meeting would contribute to the exchange of practices and better perception of the place and role of women in uniform in Serbia.
Speeches were also held by Natasa Milojevic, President of the Fund for Social and Democratic Initiatives, Dubravka Filipovski, MP and a member of the Women’s Parliamentary Network and Meho Omerovic, President of the Minority and Human Rights and Gender Equality Board.According to the Fund President, a contemporary image of a woman wearing uniform instead of seeking protection should alter the usual gender stereotype of uniform as a male attribute. Dubravka Filipovski pointed out that participation of women in solving conflicts and establishing peace is irreplaceable, and Meho Omerovic stressed that, for every democratic society, it is vital to ensure a greater role of women on all levels of democratic decision making, in all sectors.
On the first day of the Conference, a documentary film was shown about women in the Armed Forces and the Serbian Police, which was aired on TV Vojvodina and posted on the official web page of the Ministry of Defence.
During the gathering, participants will discuss social stereotypes about women in uniform, their representation in the media, about education and possibilities for advancement and career building, and about further work in the implementation of the Resolution 1325, security and defence aspects of Serbia joining the EU, and about the position of women in post-conflict and posttraumatic societies.
Participants of the Conference on women in defence and security sectors are representatives of institutions, executive and legislative authorities, members of security and defence forces, civilian and academic sector organizations, and media from Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Albania.The Fund for Social and Democratic Initiatives conducts a broader program dedicated to advancement of the position of women in security and defence forces titled “Women in Uniform”, and its main goal is improvement of the position of women in these sectors and promoting values of equality and equal possibilities, all in accordance with recommendations of the UN Committee and the Resolution 1325 on preventing discrimination of women.
