UN Women to continue to support the empowerment of women leaders in defence sector

Continuous support for the strengthening of women’s personal and professional skills in the defence sector represents an important enabler for employment, career development and promotion, which is especially relevant in Georgia, where women are often deprived of extensive opportunities for education and development.

UN Women has been actively collaborating with the Ministry of Defence of Georgia in this regard, which, among other initiatives, includes offering training sessions and masterclasses for women employed in this sector.

One such masterclass focused on stress-free communication and was attended by 22 women employed at the Ministry. During the meeting, participants learned about prompt feedback as a conflict prevention tool, the importance of emotional intelligence and stress-free communication, basic communication techniques, and the specifics of implementing basic feedback models.

“Meaningful integration of women in military operations, their different perspectives and their problem-solving skills contribute to greater effectiveness,” said Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Head of Human Resources Policy Division of Human Resources Department Ministry of Defence of Georgia , after the masterclass. “Therefore, promoting women’s leadership in the defence sector is not just an issue of gender equality but also a strategic necessity. Such workshops and seminars are very important. They create a valuable platform for leaders to discuss gender-related issues, communicate with military women in an informal setting, and provide mentorship and active support for their development as leaders. In my opinion, promoting women’s leadership is the best investment in the future of the defence sector, and it will significantly strengthen the country’s overall security structure.”

The training was held within the framework of the project “Strengthening Women’s Leadership within the Defence Sector in Georgia”, which UN Women launched in August 2024. The project is implemented in partnership with the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, with generous funding from the UK Government. The project objective is to promote women’s employment and career advancement in the defence sector. Additionally, the project envisages gender mainstreaming in both the Ministry of Defence and the Georgian Defence Forces.

It is noteworthy that the project supports the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Georgia and the National Action Plan on the UN Security Council resolutions on Women, Peace and Security, as it aims to build the capacities of the Ministry of Defence and the Georgian Defence Forces to promote inclusive policy and increase women’s representation in leadership positions within the defence sector.