NATO will establish position of special representative for women, peace and security

At the summit in Chicago, NATO welcomed the Norwegian proposal to establish the position of special representative for women, peace and security. Norway will fund this position.

The special representative will be responsible for following up NATO’s work on UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. 

“This work is important for the Alliance, as the active participation of women is crucial in dealing with, resolving and preventing conflicts, and not least reconstructing societies after a conflict has ended,” commented Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre.

 Norway has strongly advocated follow-up of the UN resolution on women, peace and security in NATO. 

“The special representative will be a champion for this work within NATO and a clear voice outside the Alliance,” said Mr Støre.

In 2009, NATO decided to implement UN resolution 1325 on women peace and security (UNSCR 1325), which had been adopted by the Security Council in 2000. Norway has been one of the strongest advocates of this resolution. The Alliance agreed on the Action Plan on Mainstreaming UNSCR 1325 into NATO-led Operations and Missions at its summit in Lisbon in 2010. 

“Women’s rights – and their important role in peace and security – is not a ‘special interest’, but is to be mainstreamed into all phases of NATO’s work. The establishment of the position of special representative in NATO is an important further step in NATO efforts in recent years to follow up this resolution,” said Mr Støre.