ASTANA — The Center for Peacekeeping Operations of the Ministry of Defense (KAZCENT) recently hosted a course in Almaty to raise awareness of gender issues and challenges, KAZCENT’s press service reported on April 26.
Photo credit: KAZCENT
Organized in collaboration with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Program Office, the English-language training focused on the significance of gender problems within United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations and the training of national contingents specifically.
Major Rimma Shakeyeva, leading the course, underscored the importance of gender awareness for military personnel to comprehend the main aspects affecting crisis situations during conflicts.
“Peacekeepers need to understand how conflicts affect representatives of different age and gender groups. That kind of understanding is crucial for adequate response, analysis and decision-making in sexual violence and gender based violence situations,” she said.
The training aligns with the UN Security Council Resolution “Women, Peace, Security,” which requires awareness-raising and the development of national action plans in this area.
Kazakhstan, following UN requirements on gender policy, regularly deploys female military personnel to participate in peacekeeping missions. Currently, the seventh servicewoman of the country’s Armed Forces serves abroad as a military observer within the UN peacekeeping mission.
Additionally, seven female military personnel have been dispatched to the Golan Heights as part of the national peacekeeping contingent, serving in the reserve company of the mission Commander.
The course targeted representatives from the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and the National Guard, as well as members of the armed forces from Jordan, Nigeria, and Tunisia.
