Upon SEEBRIG’s invitation from 2021, RACVIAC Mobile Training Team (MTT) is carrying out the “Women and Security – Gender Awareness Course” from 13 to 15 June 2023 in Kumanovo, Republic of North Macedonia. Its purpose is to increase the awareness of South Eastern European Brigade (SEEBRIG) HQ Personnel about the gender perspective and its integration into Peace Support Operations.
The main purpose of this Course is to give SEEBRIG staff a broad introduction on the gender perspective and its mainstreaming into mission planning and execution at all levels, but mostly at the tactical level. Furthermore, the ways and means how a gender perspective should be integrated into military organisational structures, especially peace support operations, mandates, analyses and tasks will be introduced and discussed.
RACVIAC MTT consists of three (3) very experienced gender instructors: COL Antoniela Stankovska- Budimir from the Ministry of Defence of North Macedonia as a Course Director, COL Fahir Žilić from the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina and CPT Tanja Katnić from the Ministry of Defence of Montenegro as gender instructors and syndicate leaders.
In his Welcome speech, COL Dimitrios Biris pointed out that up to now RACVIAC has certified more than 170 gender instructors in the SEE region and that the “Women and Security – Gender Awareness Course” is especially tailored to suit SEEBRIG needs, whose main focus is on the integration of the gender perspective into military operations, including many practical examples from instructors as well as group and individual work. He expressed hope that this activity will further deepen cooperation in the area which will be most beneficial for the two Organizations.
SEEBRIG Chief of staff, Colonel Zlatko Gjorgjiovski on behalf of SEEBRIG Commander, welcomed the instructors and RACVIAC staff and shortly presented the SEEBRIG mission and scope of work. In addition, he expressed hope concerning continuation of fruitful cooperation between the two Organisations.
It is worth mentioning that since 2014 RACVIAC has been regularly conducting the „Gender Training of the Trainers Course“ (GToT) together with the Croatian Armed Forces as a Partner and under supervision of the Nordic Center for Gender in Military Operations (main NATO body for gender in military operations). Through this activity RACVIAC Members have developed a network of gender instructors in the SEE region, and a pool of experienced gender instructors was created.