GENDER IN OPERATIONS – How HQ ARRC Mainstreams UNSCR 1325 and Lessons Identified from TRIDENT JAGUAR 15
relation to gender perspective, analysis was
initially conducted based on real world data in
the region. While globally no country has fully
attained gender equality, Scandinavian coun-
tries like Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Swe-
den lead the world in their progress regarding
gender. In these countries, there is relatively
equitable distribution of available income, re-
sources, and opportunities for men and wom-
en. A contradiction immediately emerged from
the very fact that although a state of emer-
gency was potentially imminent; women were
very well represented and not perceived as
marginalised in this particular crisis. The data
collection simply did not support the principles
on which UNSCR 1325 is based.
Second, the challenges listed in the scenar-
io are too often broad, societal issues, areas
where military intervention may not affect the
outcome. Gender in (military) operations focus-
es on the military application of a gender per-
spective. But the challenges associated with
the exercise were very much associated with
NATO’s greater political struggle to balance a
strategic military effect with the right amount
of influence to support a fragile Arnland gov-
ernment while remaining within the NATO
mandate. The gender perspective added to
a more complex politically driven discussion in
working groups and meetings, but the broad
scenario hindered operationalising that com-
plex information into tactical orders to effect
positive change.
These challenges did not by any means less-
en the amount of exercise play for the gender
structure however. Most notably the scenario
required significant representation of the gen-
der perspective through engagement with dif-
ferent entities and stakeholders. This required
the Gender Advisor to be proactively tied into
the Civil Military Branch and to interact with
international and non-government organisa-
tions (IOs/NGOs) as well as various meetings
with the Arnish Ministries. Most importantly
it meant that ARRC’s Key Leaders needed to
be well versed in the language of UNSCR 1325
and Bi SC D 40-1 so as not to undermine the
tenants of these documents when conducting
engagements.
Outcomes and Lessons
Learned
The evaluation of the Gender Mainstreaming
training objective was conducted by a mem-
ber of the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military
Operations (NCGMO), NATOs partnered organ-
isation as the Centre of Excellence for Gender
in Military Operations. Overall it was concluded
that HQ ARRC successfully implemented Gen-
der Mainstreaming and contributed to ARRC’s
culminating certifications as one of NATO’s
available operational headquarters response
forces. The evaluation report made the follow-
ing observations:
Structure- The ARRC’s approach to the Gen-
der Mainstreaming structure differs notably
from other Global Response Forces in two
significant ways. First the stand up of a full-
time GENAD in Crisis Establishment only. In
previous exercises the appointment of a Full-
Time Gender Advisor (CE) had been a viable
solution, however during TRIDENT JAGUAR 15
the ARRC’s requisition for the post through
the Joint Force Command was not fulfilled;
alternate solutions were also explored but ul-
timately the post was left vacant leaving the
Gender Field Advisor to execute the role full-
time in addition to the primary role which they
were assigned. While the Gender Field Advisor
had completed the training in compliance with
ACO guidance, the subject matter expertise
and time commitments of a full-time GENAD
was not available to the exercise. The evalua-
tor further highlighted that a full-time GENAD
would be able to provide more detailed sup-
port to garrison operations.
Leadership- The second significant differ-
ence was the appointment of the lead under
the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations. Many
other HQs place the emphasis on a gender
perspective in the Command Group and/or the
Civil Military Operations Division. The evalu-
ator highlighted the most critical function of
the Gender Adviser as being an adviser to
the Commander. While the GFA as the acting
GENAD was able to gain access to the Com-
mand Group physically, not being collocated
inhibited the GFAs ability to engage and make
recommendations regarding the current ac-
tivities at this critical level. The evaluator did
recognise the significant positive impact on
operational planning that resulted from DCOS
Ops overseeing Gender Mainstreaming in the
HQ. Overall the evaluator was impressed by
the support from all Key Leaders on the sub-
ject of Gender and, in particular, highlighted
the efforts of the Intelligence branch to gain
a more in-depth understanding of gender re-
lated issues.
SOIs/SOPs- In preparation as a Joint Task
Force the HQ made a concentrated effort to
trim down SOPs and SOIs to easily readable,
succinct guidance for subordinate formations
to interpret. As a result the original six page
Gender SOP was scaled down to two pages
and Branch SOPs relat