By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Chuck Broadway DoD News, Defense
Media Activity
WASHINGTON, March 8, 2018 — The Defense Department is
advancing its efforts to include more women in peacebuilding and conflict
resolution processes following the signing of the 2017 Women, Peace and
Security Act.
Mark Swayne, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense
for stability and humanitarian affairs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary
of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, said DoD is
looking to leverage the unique aspects women bring to the table, not only in
peacebuilding and conflict resolution, but also in all facets of military
operations.
“When working with partner militaries or civilians, we are
trying to include women so they don’t get overlooked,” he said. “Ensuring that
our partners include [female perspectives] makes us more effective in our
military operations.”
Research on the effectiveness of including women in military
peacebuilding and conflict resolution negotiations found that peace agreements
between civil society groups are 64 percent more likely to succeed -- and 35
percent more likely to last at least 15 years -- than agreements that
overlooked the female perspective.
Setting the Example
According to the Women, Peace and Security Act, Congress
found that, around the world, women remain underrepresented in conflict
prevention, resolution, and post-conflict peacebuilding efforts. Meaningful
participation of women in these operations helps to promote a more inclusive
and democratic society, and is critical to the long-term stability of countries
and regions, Congress determined.
To promote these findings, DoD is taking the necessary steps
to be a global leader by setting a key example for international partners.
“We have a well-integrated military,” Swayne said. “Many of
our allies and NATO partners are the same. But we have many military partners
around the world where females do not have the same level of representation.”
Swayne added that when DoD representatives send female
officers and senior noncommissioned officers to attend meetings with
international partners, it conveys a strong message that females take a high
priority within the government and the DoD.
Full-Scale Implementation
DoD leaders are working with the National Security Council
on an interagency strategy for incorporating and operationalizing the Women,
Peace and Security Act. Once that strategy is finalized, a DoD instruction will
be created outlining how to implement women, peace, and security measures into
all DoD operations. Swayne said he hopes to have the new instruction in place
by the end of 2018.
DoD and the Joint Staff recently instituted a Women, Peace
and Security Synchronization Group. This group, consisting of representatives
from the combatant commands, military services, regional centers and
professional military education institutions, as well as DoD and Joint Staff
leaders, meets monthly to enable cross-sharing, optimize lessons learned and
best practices, and advance future programs throughout the department.
Combatant commands are already successfully implementing
Women, Peace and Security Act objectives through their individual theater
campaign plans. These efforts aim to educate personnel on how integrating
women, peace, and security concepts increases overall mission effectiveness.
“We are weaving Women, Peace and Security into all training
activities, and into the fabric of how we institutionalize DoD objectives,”
Swayne said. “It’s an opportunity for us to include women, peace, and security
scenarios in every activity we are doing [to become] more effective in our
military activities.”
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