By Raquel Alves
Peace and Security for Regional Leadership 2023. This was the theme of the 2nd Women’s Hybrid Seminar, held between May 21 and 25 in Santa Marta, Colombia, with the participation of military personnel from the Brazilian Armed Forces. The event, coordinated by the U.S. Southern Command, highlighted the professional growth, integrity, and leadership capacity of women. In the opportunity, two representatives of the Brazilian Defense shared knowledge and experience with 750 spectators (presential and virtual) from 16 countries, in addition to institutions such as the UN (United Nations) Women and foreign Armed Forces.
“It is an honor to have the opportunity to present my work as the first gender advisor of the Inter-American Defense Board, where I was able to talk about my mission in adopting actions to mainstream the gender perspective in the fulfillment of our mandates, as well as support women of the defense and security forces of the Member States in integration and full, equal and meaningful participation at all hierarchical levels,” said Corvette Captain Taryn Senez, of the Brazilian Navy, the first gender advisor of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB). The officer participated in the event as a speaker and facilitator.
During the meeting, three main themes were debated: “Building a Work Team”, “Organizational Change” and “Recruitment and Retention”. In the latter, Brazil also marked its presence with a lecture given by Suboficial Officer Adriana de Oliveira, from the Brazilian Air Force, who highlighted the opportunity for improvement. “Participating in this event is a unique opportunity for my improvement as a Brazilian Air Force master graduate. The Women, Peace and Security agenda is fundamental for the development of skills in the areas of leadership, organizational culture change, and team building, which are topics addressed here. Men and women must work together for the growth of the Armed Forces!
Women, peace and security – In 2000, the United Nations Security Council signed Resolution 1325, on the theme Women, Peace and Security. The document is an important tool to combat inequalities between men and women, besides highlighting the need to include “them” in negotiations, mediations, and in the prevention of armed conflicts.
Por Raquel Alves