From August 6 to 9, 2024, in Lima, Peru, the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB), in its capacity as an organ belonging to the Organization of American States (OAS), participated in the “7th Joint Enlisted Leader Symposium (LAC) on Women, Peace and Security (MPS) 2024”, an event organized by the United States Southern Command and the Joint Command of the Armed Forces of Peru.
The symposium focused on mentoring, leadership, and inspiration from enlisted members and service officers from the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, and allied nations, with the goal of providing participants with a deep understanding of the objectives of the United Nations Women, Peace, and Security agenda. The symposium also addressed the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as tactics, techniques, and procedures for implementing a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security.
The conferences also addressed issues such as increasing the visibility of women in military positions, promoting international cooperation in the field of security, and incorporating the gender perspective into operational planning.
The countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Mexico shared their knowledge, skills and competencies acquired during the implementation and execution of their respective National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security, with the aim of providing useful lessons learned for countries that are still developing their National Action Plan.
The event provided the Inter-American Defense Board with the opportunity to provide technical advice, highlighting the existence of its Women, Peace and Security Program, whose main objective is to offer member states educational, advisory and technical advice for compliance with United Nations Resolution 1325.
In summary, the symposium was established as a forum for the exchange of ideas and best practices on how gender mainstreaming can strengthen security and defense in the hemisphere, promoting a more inclusive and effective approach to the management of military and security operations. The importance of collaboration in this area was emphasized, with a call to continue efforts to ensure that operations reflect the diversity and strength of our societies.
Inter-American Defense Board – Promoting and Strengthening Hemispheric Confidence and Security.
