Deputy Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations Senior Colonel Nguyen Nhu Canh and Director of the Women, Peace and Security Program under the Australian Department of Defense Colonel Karen Such co-chaired the event.
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Sr. Col. Nguyen Nhu Canh speaks at the event. |
Under the theme “Recruitment and retention: Support mechanisms to promote the meaningful participation of women in the military,” the exchange featured five in-depth discussion sessions focusing on approaches to recruiting and retaining female service members; comprehensive preparation for female U.N. peacekeeping officers; retaining personnel after their term at missions; mainstreaming gender in operational planning; and lessons learned in promoting the meaningful participation of women in the armed forces.
Throughout the sessions, speakers and experts from Vietnam, Australia, Laos, Cambodia, and international organizations actively engaged in discussions, sharing valuable practical experience in selecting, training, deploying, retaining, and creating favorable conditions for female military personnel to take part in U.N. peacekeeping operations. These exchanges not only helped clarify the common challenges faced by many troop-contributing countries, but more importantly, suggested new approaches for developing policies and support mechanisms to promote the full, safe, and meaningful participation of women in the military.
Col. Canh emphasized that “Recruitment and retention: Support mechanisms to promote the meaningful participation of women in the military” is a key theme with long-term strategic significance. The exchange provided a clear understanding that, in order to attract, prepare, and retain female service members, each country must develop a synchronized set of measures, from policies and training to appropriate job placement and post-deployment support.
In particular, the information and recommendations put forward during the five in-depth sessions serve as an important basis for Vietnam to continue improving the implementation of the National Action Program on Women, Peace and Security for the 2024–2030 period, while contributing to enhancing the effectiveness of Vietnam’s participation in U.N. peacekeeping missions.
Translated by Tran Hoai