In May 2018, the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) adopted conclusions on ‘Strengthening Civilian Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)’, in which EU foreign ministers once again highlighted the importance of mainstreaming human rights and gender into all missions’ activities as a means of improving their effectiveness.
Gender and human rights advisers in CSDP missions are key to translating this policy commitment into practice: their goal is to ensure that gender and human rights are integrated consistently across the missions’ activities. This ongoing and challenging task requires constant exchanges with EU colleagues and external partners (including local civil society and international actors) and an appropriate level of resources.
In this Brown Bag Lunch discussion, Gorica Balta, Human Rights and Gender Adviser at the European Union Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia) will share her practical experience in the difficult Somali context and her assessment of the Mission’s support to local counterparts in mainstreaming gender and promoting women’s participation in the maritime sector. She will also discuss ways of improving the functioning and impact of CSDP missions from a gender and human rights perspective.
Participants are welcome to bring their own lunch and EPLO will provide tea and coffee.
Please note that places are limited and registration is mandatory. Please contact Lorenzo Conti by Thursday 14 November if you would like to participate.