{"id":25193,"date":"2016-03-08T12:30:09","date_gmt":"2016-03-08T01:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/?p=25193"},"modified":"2017-03-10T15:34:24","modified_gmt":"2017-03-10T04:34:24","slug":"dwp-2016-women-gender-advice-and-future-defence-capabilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/dwp-2016-women-gender-advice-and-future-defence-capabilities\/","title":{"rendered":"DWP 2016: women, gender advice and future defence capabilities"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Caption:Today marks International Women\u2019s Day, so it\u2019s a pertinent time to assess how Australia\u2019s 2016<\/span> Defence White Paper<\/span><\/a> addresses the issue of women, peace and security (WPS).<\/span><\/p>\n

At first glance, the paper provides a useful snapshot of some of the valuable progress that has been made in recent years across Defence to improve the participation of women, and to integrate gender advice into its work (previously explored<\/span> here<\/span><\/a>). That progress is one of the reasons why a recent<\/span> global study<\/span><\/a> on WPS highlighted the work of the ADF on recruitment and retention of women as an example of good practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this regard, the White Paper acknowledges the well-known reality that women are under-represented in Defence and reiterates existing commitments to advance a range of measures to increase the participation of women both in the ADF and the Australian Public Service (6.24 and 6.25). And for the first time, this White Paper also acknowledges the importance of gender expertise as part of Defence\u2019s ongoing engagement in efforts to maintain peace and security (5.79 and 5.80).<\/span><\/p>\n

The document is a marked improvement on its predecessors in the way it addresses issues related to diversity and cultural reform. Indeed, the Minister\u2019s introduction acknowledges that a \u2018more diverse and inclusive workplace, with a focus on gender equality in professional development and progression opportunities\u2019 is important to future capability. Unfortunately, it\u2019s on this aspect that the White Paper disappoints and under-delivers. For a document meant to provide \u2018the Government\u2019s vision to enhance Australia\u2019s defence capability\u2019, there\u2019s little explanation setting out how and why the participation of women and the integration of gender advice is integral to Australia\u2019s <\/span>future<\/span><\/i> defence capability.<\/span><\/p>\n

One area where this link could\u2019ve been drawn more readily is gender advice to military operations. The issue\u2019s partly captured in paragraph 5.80 which notes ADF personnel have been deployed as gender advisers to the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. But that captures only part of the effort and overlooks other important benefits afforded by gender advice to military commanders, including how it can help to shape operational planning and execution. That\u2019s somewhat surprising when you consider that WPS was an integral part of Australia\u2019s engagement last year with the US in Exercise Talisman Sabre, the most significant bilateral military exercise between our two countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

In<\/span> Talisman Sabre 2015<\/span><\/a>, the ADF worked closely with US counterparts to ensure that gender advice was considered in the lead-up to the exercise (through education and training) and throughout the planning and conduct of operations. It was an issue considered at the highest levels of government, with the 2014 AUSMIN<\/span> communiqu\u00e9<\/span><\/a> endorsing the value of incorporating WPS objectives as part of combined planning for the exercise.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite those commitments and recent experience, WPS wasn\u2019t identified in the White Paper as an important area for future cooperation between Australia and its most important ally\u2014nor one for any other bilateral relationship explored in the DWP.<\/span><\/p>\n

It could be argued that as a strategic document, the White Paper isn\u2019t intended to provide that level of granularity when it comes to Australia\u2019s bilateral relationships. But topics such as logistics, law and leadership, professional military education, English language training and the appointment of Defence advisers are all deemed important enough to be listed in the context of various bilateral relationships.<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider the likely impact on women and girls of some of the strategic drivers the White Paper identifies as likely to shape Australia\u2019s security environment to 2035. In October 2015, the UN Security Council adopted its eighth resolution on WPS\u2014<\/span>resolution 2242<\/span><\/a>\u2014since the issue was placed on its agenda fifteen years ago. This latest resolution recognises the importance of including gender expertise and considering the role of women in relation to global responses to terrorism and violent extremism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though the White Paper acknowledges that Australia\u2019s military support is but one tool of a whole of government effort to address the threat of terrorism and foreign fighters, it nonetheless makes no specific reference to gender expertise or the need to address the disproportionate impact of those emerging security threats on women and girls. There are similar oversights in referencing gender expertise more broadly throughout the White Paper as part of Defence capability\u2014particularly when you consider Australia\u2019s experiences with state fragility in our immediate region, where we know that future efforts by the ADF to respond to instability and humanitarian disasters will continue to require an integrated and gender-responsive approach.<\/span><\/p>\n

Compared with its predecessors, the 2016 DWP reflects significant progress in considering the role of women in Defence. Still, the latest White Paper missed an opportunity to shift the discussion on WPS from one of evolving numbers and accomplishments, to one that\u2019s strategic and forward-looking and considers the participation of women as well as the integration of gender expertise as integral to Australia\u2019s future defence capability. It\u2019s an opportunity that shouldn\u2019t be missed again as Defence considers its plans to implement the White Paper in order to address Australia\u2019s future strategic defence interests. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today marks International Women\u2019s Day, so it\u2019s a pertinent time to assess how Australia\u2019s 2016 Defence White Paper addresses the issue of women, peace and security (WPS). At first glance, the paper provides a useful …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":229,"featured_media":25194,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1636,1002,310,1868],"class_list":["post-25193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-defence-white-paper-2016","tag-women","tag-women-in-combat","tag-wps"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDWP 2016: women, gender advice and future defence capabilities | The Strategist<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/dwp-2016-women-gender-advice-and-future-defence-capabilities\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"DWP 2016: women, gender advice and future defence capabilities | The Strategist\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Today marks International Women\u2019s Day, so it\u2019s a pertinent time to assess how Australia\u2019s 2016 Defence White Paper addresses the issue of women, peace and security (WPS). 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