Women Peace and Security |

Welcome to a Journey of Empowerment and Change.

Dear participants and guests,

I would like to greet you on behalf of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and extend a warm welcome to the “Women, Peace, and Security” (WPS CHOD Network) conference. This important initiative brings together leaders and experts from various countries to discuss crucial topics related to global security and equality.

Our commitment to promoting women’s role in peace and security is not just a matter of responsibility but a necessity for building more stable and just societies. Including women at all levels of decision-making, especially in the areas of security and defence, contributes to better and more sustainable solutions to many challenges we face.

The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina recognise the importance of this initiative and are dedicated to advancing gender equality within our ranks, ensuring that women have equal opportunities to contribute and develop their careers. I wish you a successful and productive conference and hope that we can collectively contribute to furthering the goals set by UN Security Council Resolution 1325. I hope your exchange of ideas and experiences will help build a safer, fairer, and more peaceful world.

Sincerely, Lieutenant General Gojko Knežević, Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina

About Conference

The “Women, Peace, and Security” (WPS CHOD Network) conference has a scientific and professional character with the aim of gathering domestic and international leaders, the academic community, military experts, governmental and non-governmental organisations, armed forces members, and the media to share knowledge and experiences on gender perspectives and impacts on military service, especially concerning conflict, post-conflict, peacebuilding, and peacekeeping.

One goal is to better understand today’s complex and dynamic security environment, which is influenced by the experiences of both women and men as participants and change catalysts. The emphasis is on their crucial and equal role in active professional military service and their impact on human security in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the broader region.

The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been a member of the Women, Peace, and Security Chiefs of Defence Network since 2018. The network consists of 56 member countries and was established in 2017 by the United Kingdom, Canada, and Bangladesh. Sweden currently chairs the network. The purpose of the network is to provide a strong platform for cooperation that will facilitate and advance the Women, Peace, and Security agenda within the armed forces through strengthening joint and internal capacities and expertise and sharing experiences, lessons learned, and best practices.

As part of this network, an international WPS conference titled “Women, Peace, and Security – Women, Peace, and Security Chiefs of Défense Network (WPS CHOD Network)” was held in Sarajevo in March 2019, under the patronage of the British Embassy. The success of this conference was reflected in the crucial connection of leaders and their efforts to integrate the principles of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda into armed forces activities.

The gender perspective has proven to be a benefit in military service by providing new capacities, opportunities, and potential, and it is an essential part of cooperation with NATO, UN, and EU member states. This highlights the need to present and exchange experiences and best practices within the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and among the armed forces of NATO/PfP, UN, and EU partner countries.