Cormack and Pendeš Open Seminar on Prevention of Sexual Violence

Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina Marina Pendeš and U.S. Ambassador to BiH Maureen Cormack officially opened the Seminar "Equal Opportunities and the Prevention and Response Program for Sexual Violence in Defence Institutions", held at the AF BiH House in Sarajevo from 1 to 3 September 2015, reports the Patria news agency.

The aim of the Seminar is to familiarise the personnel of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of BiH with the U.S. military approach to ensuring equal opportunities for women and men, members of the armed forces, as well as the Prevention and Response Program for Sexual Harassment and Assault in the military environment – SHARP (Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program).

Minister Pendeš in her address thanked Ambassador Cormack for the support that the U.S. Government provides to BiH defence institutions through various programs and forms of assistance, and especially for the support in organising this seminar and implementing measures related to gender equality, equal opportunities for men and women, as well as the prevention of possible occurrences of sexual harassment and assault in the defence and security system in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On this occasion, she highlighted a number of significant projects, measures and actions that the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of BiH are undertaking in the field of promoting gender equality and preventing sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict societies, and emphasised that defence institutions are a positive example in BiH when it comes to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

On this occasion, the role of our Peace Support Operations Training Centre (PSOTC) was also highlighted, which, with the help of representatives of the Maryland National Guard, designed and developed a curriculum that will be implemented in the coming period, relating to issues of gender equality, prevention of sexual violence, building integrity and a moral code.

Ambassador Cormack, addressing the Seminar participants, expressed satisfaction at being able to attend such an event together with Minister Pendeš and in the presence of a significant number of women members of the Armed Forces of BiH and the Maryland National Guard, which, according to her, is a good sign and indicator that Bosnia and Herzegovina has made significant progress in matters of gender equality and the representation of women in leading positions in BiH society.

She stated that the percentage of women in the Armed Forces of BiH of 6.8% and 15% in the U.S. Army is significant, but not sufficient, and that cooperation in this field needs to continue, where the U.S. Embassy in BiH will provide all possible support to all relevant institutions dealing with these issues at both state and entity levels, as well as through agencies and organisations in whose field of interest this issue falls.

Furthermore, this seminar will help the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of BiH increase the level of interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces on the path to achieving Partnership Goals (PARP PG 4590 – Gender Perspective) through familiarisation with and development of their own programs that promote equal opportunities and offer responses to possible occurrences of sexual violence in the Armed Forces of BiH.

The seminar continues its work until 3 September and is a good opportunity to exchange experiences with our friends and partners from the United States of America regarding this issue.