Dirección: C/ Joaquín Costa núm. 6 - 28071 Madrid
Teléfono: 913 246 431
Correo electrónico: omigualdad@oc.mde.es
Correo electrónico área internacional: omi.int@mde.es
The course “A Comprehensive Approach to Gender in Operations” is the result of a unique collaboration between the Spanish and Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Netherlands), (Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spain) and Defence (Ministry of Defence The Netherlands), (Ministry of Defence Spain). It is one of the expressions of the firm commitment of both the Netherlands and Spain to implementing UN Security Council
Resolution 1325 and following resolutions on Women, Peace and Security.With the shift from international to local conflicts in the last decades we see a clear rise of gender based violence against the civilian population by combatants. Commanders in operations increasingly have to deal with gender based attacks specifically targeting woman and girls, but also men and boys. To effectively deal with this aspect of modern conflicts it’s important to understand how gender differences are perceived locally, where these differences can or are abused in a conflict and how to create a safe and secure situation for all persons, independent of gender. This aspect needs to be fully integrated in operations, from the planning phase till the end of the mission.
An effective implementation of both a comprehensive approach and a gender approach calls for an open attitude towards interacting with the people engaged in the conflict and affected by the conflict. The comprehensive approach is also about breaking the (perceived) barriers between participants in a course on gender in international missions and operations. Why? Because it is a must to be able to work as an effective and united team. A team that consists of military and civilians, and that makes use of their broad range of skills and expertise. A mission in which all personnel can count on each other, and can act against the systemic violation of human rights. A team that will act and never look away.
“A Comprehensive Approach to Gender in Operations” is a one week (5 days) course under the aegis of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC Web Site). It is based on the comprehensive approach to integrated missions and crisis management, and builds on synergies between Defence, diplomacy and development with regards to gender and human rights aspects. The course aims for participants to:
Recognize the different impact of conflicts on men and women, as well as opportunities and challenges for women to participate equally in conflict resolution, crisis management and reconstruction, and to translate this to operational planning and implementation.
Promote the necessity to distinct the diverse security needs and perspectives of the local male and female population in a mission area as an essential element for increasing operational effectiveness and improving the overall security situation;
Since 2011, more than 1000 military and civilian participants from over 50 countries and from various international organizations have taken this innovative course. If each and every one of these participants has taken just as little as one remark, one moment, one story that touched them and put this in practice in their daily work, and the decisions they make, then we have reached our goal, and created 1020 new change agents who will never look away!
The courses are foreseen on the following dates:
Donwload documents:
The course “The Gender Perspective in Peace Support Operations: A comprehensive approach” is organized by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence of Spain and the Netherlands every six months in Nairobi, in collaboration with the US African Command (AFRICOM) and hosted by the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC).
The course is primarily aimed at middle management military officials and civilians, including police, from African members of the U.S. Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) partnered nations.
This course provides training to peacekeepers on “gender mainstreaming” in peacekeeping operations, which has emerged as a critical aspect of UN Department of Peace Operations policies, guidance notes, guidelines, and strategies.
Women and men experience conflict differently and therefore understand peace differently. Recognizing and integrating these differences—known as gender perspectives—into all aspects of UN peace operations, is essential for the success of the UN’s efforts. Course participants will be provided the tools to ensure that gender perspectives are integrated into all elements of peacekeeping operations (including Security Sector Reform; Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration; Police; Military; Elections) from initial planning through evaluation.
There have been 13 editions so far in which more than 460 participants from 26 different countries have participated.
In 2022, the courses are foreseen on the following dates:
The EU Military Committee has appointed the Ministry of Defence of Spain as EU Gender Military Training Discipline Leader for Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operations. A Training Analysis Requirement (TRA) has been done to analyze the current situation in this field across the European Union Structures to look into whether the education and training are the most appropriate or must they be enhanced.
The TRA aim is to know the current situation of the gender training in the Armed Forces of the EU Member States prior to be deployed in a CSDP Missions or Operation. To detect gender training lack or shortfalls. To map the training possibilities and to give guidance or directions to Member States Armed Forces to train their military personnel during the Pre Deployment Training phase or In-mission Training.
The methodology used has been quite diverse. On the one hand, a survey was undertaken to collect information from different sources. Two questionnaires were prepared and agreed with the European External Action Service (EEAS) and other institution’s stakeholders. The survey was carried out among the EU Member States, the training and education centers and the CSDP missions and operations gender advisors or representatives and part of the staff.
On the other hand, a second source of information was provided through the organization and participation in seminars, workshops, meetings and other events and to gather experienced personnel in areas such as training, operations or gender to enhance the knowledge of the topic. Another baseline for the definition of the curricula has been the wide number of documents about gender mainstreaming published all over the world, and especially those issued by training and education centers.
Although the TRA falls under the European Union Military Training Group (EUMTG), the study also provides information regarding the training of the of the civilian CSDP missions staff.
In the different annexes of the document, is widely explained the findings of the survey.
Three curricula have been prepared according with the needs and responsibilities of the proposed target audience and their relationship with gender mainstreaming.
The first curriculum is oriented to Gender Advisors and Gender Focal Points. It is likely recommended that Staff Officers, Planners and, in summary, all the deployed staff directly related to gender mainstreaming or decision makers follow this training. The main aim of the training is to provide knowledge to incorporate the gender perspective in all the phases of an operation, from the planning to the conduction and the evaluation.
The second curriculum is oriented to Force Commanders and Key Leaders. It also can be done by Staff Officers and/or Planners if they are not included in the first type of training. The main aim of the training is to become Gender Sensitive Leaders by knowing all aspects of gender mainstreaming. Second aim is to be aware that the implementation of the Gender Perspective in an Operation or Mission enhance the operational efficiency.
The third curriculum is oriented from enlisted personnel up to Platoon Leaders and all the deployed staff that do not have tasks directly related to gender. This is, all those who only need to know basic concepts and how to deal with the gender mainstreaming.
The Gender Discipline Leader has prepared a set of presentations for the Key leaders and Basic Curricula that EUMS has distributed among EU Member States and different EU Bodies. This allows to fill the training gaps in the subjects related in the TRA regarding the two referred curricula.
La Resolución 1325 del Consejo de Seguridad de Naciones Unidas sobre Mujer, Paz y Seguridad ha propiciado que los diferentes estados firmantes hayan tomado conciencia del aumento desproporcionado de la violencia que se ejerce contra las mujeres en el marco de los conflictos armados. Pero también ha supuesto una aportación innovadora y determinante en este ámbito ya que por primera vez se reconoce a la mujer no solo como víctima sino también como agente activo que contribuye de modo propio y diferenciado en los procesos de paz.
Para abordar eficazmente este aspecto es importante que los participantes en operaciones en el exterior, tanto militares como civiles, comprendan cómo se perciben las diferencias de género a nivel local, qué tipo de implicaciones pueden tener en una situación de conflicto armado y cómo se puede crear una situación segura para todas las personas, independientemente de su sexo.
El Ministerio de Defensa de España ha asumido un papel protagonista en la formación en este ámbito, tanto en el marco de la OTAN, como de la Política de Defensa y Seguridad Común Europea, participando en diversas actividades formativas relacionadas con la incorporación de la perspectiva de género a sus procedimientos de actuación.
Desde 2010, el Ministerio de Defensa, a través de la División de Igualdad de la Direccion General de Personal, coordina unas Jornadas de Asesoría de Género en Operaciones (AGO), designando para su organización al Mando de Adiestramiento y Doctrina del Ejercito de Tierra (MADOC). Estas jornadas están dirigidas a miembros de las Fuerzas Armadas españolas y de las Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad del Estado que vayan a desplegar en operaciones en el exterior, con el objetivo de que puedan desarrollar cometidos, bien como “Asesores de Género” o como “Puntos Focales de Género”.
Las jornadas tienen como objetivos que los alumnos reconozcan el diferente grado de impacto de los conflictos en hombres y mujeres así como las oportunidades y desafíos que se presenten para favorecer la participación de éstas últimas en la prevención de conflictos, en la gestión de crisis así como en la resolución y reconstrucción posterior; y que sean capaces de concienciar a la organización a la que pertenezcan sobre la necesidad de implementar la perspectiva de género como un elemento esencial para aumentar la efectividad operativa y mejorar la situación general de seguridad.
Por ello, se formará en dos vertientes; por un lado desde una perspectiva conceptual de los Derechos Humanos, incidiendo en el Sistema Jurídico Internacional y por otro desde la perspectiva del proceso de planeamiento de las operaciones, destacando como esta herramienta permite al mando tomar decisiones mejor fundamentadas y sensatas, derivando en crear un entorno más estable y seguro.
A lo largo de sus diez ediciones se han formado más de 300 alumnos, basándose en un enfoque integral de las misiones y la gestión de crisis, así como en las sinergias entre defensa, diplomacia y desarrollo con respecto a los aspectos de género y derechos humanos.
Está previsto que la XI Edición se celebre del 13 al 17 de febrero de 2023, en colaboración con la Universidad de Granada, contando entre el alumnado, no solo con personal del Ministerio de Defensa y de las FCSE sino con estudiantes de la citada universidad.
Las Jornadas sobre "Políticas de igualdad en las Fuerzas Armadas" tiene como objetivo la formación y sensibilización en materia de igualdad entre el personal militar. Van dirigidas principalmente a aquellos que van a ejercer el mando de Unidades, a quienes ocupan destinos en el ámbito de la gestión de recursos humanos, al personal designado como encargado de la protección frente al acoso en las unidades y a los vocales del Observatorio Militar para la Igualdad (OMI).
Las Jornadas ofrecen un resumen de los principales conceptos básicos relacionados con las políticas de igualdad. Así mismo dan una visión general sobre el recorrido que han tenido estas políticas en las principales organizaciones internacionales, centrándose en última instancia en la normativa y organismos que existen en nuestro país tanto a nivel estatal como autonómico. Por último, una vez establecido el marco general, las jornadas se centran en las Fuerzas Armadas, dando a conocer el proceso de incorporación e integración de la mujer así como el modelo de igualdad que actualmente existe en nuestra Institución.
Se realizan dos ediciones anuales a través del Campus Virtual Corporativo de Defensa (CVCDEF). Desde su creación en 2018 se han celebrado siete ediciones, habiéndolo finalizado un total de 4.397 militares y civiles del Ministerio de Defensa. En la última edición, celebrada entre los días 18 de octubre y 30 de noviembre, hubo 686 participantes, entre civiles y militares, pertenecientes al Ministerio de Defensa. La siguiente edición, está prevista para el mes de mayo.
Referencias normativas de ámbito militar
Referencias normativas de ámbito civil
Normativa internacional
Otros documentos
Estadísticas
Enlaces de interés