Mainstreaming WPS in the Armed Forces

Abstract

The release of the Australian Government’s Nation Action Plan (NAP) in 2012 signaled the recognition by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) that implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was imperative to improving military capability and increasing operational effectiveness. Since then, the ADF has made considerable inroads toward ensuring that the practical implementation of the NAP achieves the WPS outcomes being sought by the Australian Government. Moreover, this chapter observes that the ADF have in recent times employed the NAP to ensure that its political, social, aid, and diplomatic actions align closely with those of allied armed forces with respect to gender mainstreaming. Indeed, the ADF has focused on gender as an important element in the planning and conduct of national and international military peace and security efforts. This chapter argues that since the adoption of Resolution 1325, Australia has been actively involved in, and supported, a large number of high-level commitments to addressing the role of women in peace and security. In the main, this has been focused on political, social, diplomatic, and aid responses to crisis and conflict management, human rights, gender equality, and peacekeeping.