READY FOR TODAY – EVOLVING FOR TOMORROW
Coordination - Putting heads together, talking about challenges and progress in the gender community.
order to transform the strategic goals of
NATO into measurable tactical success.
When new units are assigned to HQ
ARRC, it will be essential to carry out
an initial examination of what gender
advising structures already exist and
how these can be applied and exploited
during the mission.
2017 Gender Conference
In May this year, HQ ARRC hosted
the “8th Allied Command Operations
Gender Conference”. This was the
first time it was held at one of the nine
Corps level HQs. On this occasion, the
GENADs of NATO’s Command Structure
met to discuss the directive as well as
conceptual developments and current
issues. The conference takes place
biannually under the chairmanship of the
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers
Europe (SHAPE) GENAD, Mr James
Collins. As part of an awareness and
training brief for HQ ARRC staff, he
underlined the increasing relevance of
the GENAD in planning operations and
advising the commander. He also drew
attention to the fact that the number of
women within the NATO structure, as well
as on missions, should not necessarily
be determined on the basis of a quota,
but rather women should be represented
in an “appropriate proportion”.
All in all, the conference attracted
the interest of the media as well as
the HQ itself. The participation of the
SHAPE GENAD and almost all HQs of
the NATO Command Structure clearly
accentuated the importance of the topic.
Lieutenant General Tim Radford (GBR),
Commander of HQ ARRC, stated: “We
cannot afford to, nor should we ignore
the challenges associated with gender in
modern warfare. The human dimension
is central to our business.”
After the conference , one of the states
represented at the HQ declared its
willingness to provide a full-time GENAD
position. This can be seen as a huge
success and is an important step in
facing the challenges mentioned above.
Conclusions
Both NATO and HQ ARRC must
acknowledge that integrating the gender
perspective is a process that needs to
happen in parallel at all organisational
levels and during all phases of operational
planning. It is essential to be aware of not
only the classic conflict parties, but of the
entire population. In our role as soldiers
this gives us the opportunity to guarantee
access to capabilities, knowledge and
potential which would otherwise remain
unused.
are related to having applied a gender
perspective are difficult to detect, monitor
and assess, there are other indicators of
success.
The way of integrating gender
perspective at HQ ARRC certainly
has proven to be effective in raising
awareness, not just within the HQ, but
across the NATO Command Structure.
On several occasions HQ ARRC has
been highlighted by the Nordic Centre
for Gender in Military Operations as a
success story on the tactical level. This
said, at the end of the day it will be up
to each individual to pass on gender
awareness and consideration, before it
can truly prove itself as a concept.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Capt Nina Schommers is currently
Information Operation SO3 EXE in the
Joint Fires and Influence Branch and
as a secondary function, she serves as
Gender Advisor to the Commander of
HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
Implementing the gender perspective
can help a military organisation to decide
and act in a better and more empathic
way and facilitate the achievement of set
objectives. While the actual results that
ALLIED RAPID REACTION CORPS
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