Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

05Mar2014

On 5-13 March 2014, UNDP/SEESAC and the Nordic Center for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM) are organizing the Gender Training of Trainers Course for representatives of Ministries of Defence (MoDs) and members of Armed Forces (AFs) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The two-week course prepares instructors and trainers to plan and conduct pre-deployment training and education for troops, units and officers on gender perspectives in military operations. The course content is applicable in both national and international training and education for armed forces and defense organizations and will provide the participants with knowledge on how to integrate gender perspective in mission specific training as well as national basic training. The course will prepare instructors and trainers to conduct effective and efficient training on how to integrate gender perspective in military operations.

The course is an activity of a regional project Gender Equality in the Military: Strengthening of Regional Cooperation on Gender Mainstreaming in Security Sector Reform in the Western Balkans, implemented by UNDP/SEESAC.  After the completion of the course, SEESAC will support gender trainers in planning and conducting training at the country level, in line with the MoD needs.

All trainees are representatives of the MoDs and members of AFs who already work as instructors for troops, units, staff and/or officers at their respective institutions. Six (6) representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina will benefit from the course, two (2) from Montenegro, five (5) from Serbia and three (3) from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The NATO Certified course is hosted by the Peace Support Operations Training Centre in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

SEESAC's Gender Equality in the Military: Strengthening of Regional Cooperation on Gender Mainstreaming in Security Sector Reform in the Western Balkans project aims to create a more conducive environment for the advancement of women in the military in the Western Balkans. With this as its goal, SEESAC is supporting the Ministries of Defense in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia in their efforts to ensure better integration, retention and professional development for women in the armed forces as well as stronger participation of women in decision-making and gender sensitive change in their organizational cultures.