The overarching purpose of the conference was to take a concerted look at the importance of examining the implications of gender on military planning and operations.

"Integrating gender perspective into mission execution and planning is an outward-facing approach," said German Army Captain Nina Schommers, the ARRC's gender adviser. "As gender adviser I don’t have to consider or enhance diversity and inclusion measures within the organisation, but I need to understand how military actions and conflict affect different groups within the population in different ways."

 

But Schommers was quick to point out that, while gender considerations play an integral role in operational planning, it does not, however, play a role in determining who is and is not a gender adviser.

"Being female is not what qualifies me as the gender adviser, as the term gender considers men, women, boys and girls equally, Schommers said. "In order to plan and execute more empathy, and create a more sustainable mission success, we must take gender considerations into account."

Story by Allied Rapid Reaction Corps Public Affairs Office