On December 2, 2021, as part of the opening of the Strategic Program for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a panel discussion was held at the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School with representatives of the Canadian Armed Forces Canada`s ambassador for Women, Peace, and Security Jacqueline O'Neill. The Canadian Armed Forces were represented by the Chief of Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces, General Wayne Eyre, the Chief Sergeant of the Canadian Armed Forces, Gilles Gregoire, and the head of the 12th Rotation of the Canadian Armed Forces Individual Training Group, Celine Best.

On February 24, 2016, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the National Action Plan to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 "Women. Peace. Security", one of the goals of which is to improve the conditions for the integration of women in the security and defense sector of Ukraine. According to armynform.com.ua, in 2021, 31,757 women are currently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is 15.6% of the total number of service members - compared to 2014, the number of women in the army has doubled. To continue the process of successful implementation of the resolution in Ukraine, a panel with experts from Canada discussed the experience of Canadian troops in the performance of norms and practices regarding gender equality in the Armed Forces. The method of the Euro-Atlantic Partners is an important milestone, as the Canadian Armed Forces are now the structure with the most significant proportion of women in the military: one in four Canadian troops will be a woman.

Canada`s ambassador for Women, Peace and Security Jacqueline O'Neill said it was important to identify special needs for the comfortable stay of women and men in the Armed Forces. They must be meaningfully included in the programs and conditions of military structures. To do this, we conduct GB + (Gender-based Analysis Plus) - a method of identifying differences, which explains how to adapt the military sphere to make it as comfortable as possible for both sexes. We have been conducting such an analysis for more than 25 years, and it is a mandatory procedure for state-funded projects. "

The Chief of Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces, General Wayne Eyre, commented on integrating women into the Armed Forces: This is extremely important for Canada from a strategic perspective. The second important point is the cognitive diversification of the army: the more people with different experiences, characteristics, abilities, and worldviews, the greater our mental advantage. The third aspect is interacting with a wide range of people in other countries and situations in Canada. Therefore, there is a strategic, operational, and tactical advantage in involving women in the Canadian Armed Forces."

Celine Best, head of the individual training group, spoke about the perception of women in the military: "Both men and women have the right to a family, to express emotions, to be feminine and masculine. We must not allow these criteria to become a criterion of professionalism. Women and men should not be masculine or feminine. They should be themselves."

Chief of Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces Gilles Gregoire stressed that the state should consider the marital needs of the military: "We should not punish a woman for wanting to have a family. On the contrary, we must help women and men to reconcile work and family. For example, creating institutional conditions in the state to combine work and family will allow women to be more involved in the army and promote diversity. Diversity makes us stronger."

One of the emphasized values of the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School is the subject and its capabilities. Any system is transformed if different people work in it and with it, aware of their abilities, positive boundaries, and unique qualities. The world is being changed by specific people, men, and women. "The roles of women and men in the security and defense sector are equally important. The main thing is a high level of expertise, awareness of responsibilities, and love for their own business. The experience of our partners, their vision, and model of implementation of the resolution "Women. Peace. Security" will facilitate the integration of new leaders in the defense sphere, which will qualitatively strengthen Ukraine's strategic role in the international arena" said Gelena Savruk.

For reference: Kyiv-Mohyla Business School was the first in Ukraine to launch training programs for the country's top military leadership. Since 2017, with the assistance of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and the Office of the President of Ukraine and with the support of Canada and the United Kingdom, the school has been running the Strategic Leadership in Security and Defense of Security Ukraine program.

WOMEN. PEACE. SECURITY