5.4.2024 Helsinki: The Future of Women, Peace and Security Co-Operation in EU and NATO

The UN’s Women, Peace and Security agenda is central to contemporary global peace and security challenge. Yet, it is not widely known by the international public. In short, the aim of the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1325 ”Women, Peace and Security” (2000) is to enhance women’s role and decision-making power in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding and to significantly improve women’s security and factors influencing their security in conflicts. Indeed, in the current geopolitical context, the full implementation of the WPS agenda commitments is as relevant as ever.

The year 2024 will be a significant year for international Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) work. The EU’s current WPS Action Plan ends in 2024 and next European parliament elections will be held in June 2024. The NATO’s WPS Action Plan extends to 2025 but it might be affected already in November 2024 by the outcome of the US presidential elections. Our seminar invites specialists to present the main outcome of the WPS work done by so far and to discuss how the international WPS work could be further developed. The event was organized together with Women, Peace, and Security Network in Finland and U.S. Embassy Helsinki.

The recording is available here on our YouTube channel.

PROGRAM
09.30–10.00 Coffee and tea

10.00 Welcome
Jutta Hartikainen, Coordinator of International Relations for Finnish Federation of Graduate Women

10.01–10.10 Why Women, Peace, and Security Work Matters? (pdf)
Hanna Holopainen, Member of Finnish parliament and parliament’s Defence Committee, Green Party

10.10–10.20 What is UNSCR1325?
Elina Korhonen, President of Women, Peace, and Security Network in Finland

10.20–10.40 Keynote: WPS and NATO since 2007
Dr. Saira Yamin, Chair of Women, Peace, and Security, U.S. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island

10.40–10.45 Comment from Johanna Poutanen, Head for Women in Peacemaking at the CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation

10.45–11.05 Keynote: WPS and EU 2019–2024
Jonna Naumanen, Senior Adviser to the EU Ambassador for Gender & Diversity

11.05–11.10 Comment from Katri Viinikka, Ambassador for Gender Equality, Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Finland

11.10–11.55 Panel Discussion: A Way Forward
Moderator Jaana Hirsikangas, General Secretary for UN Women Finland

Panelists

Anu Apo, National WPS-Coordinator and Desk Officer, Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Finland
Susan Bridenstine, Counsellor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki
Nicola Clase, Sweden’s ambassador to Finland
Jonna Naumanen, Senior Adviser to the EU Ambassador for Gender & Diversity, Brussels

11.55 Closing remarks
Jutta Hartikainen, Coordinator of International Relations, Finnish Federation of Graduate Women

12.00 End of the event

Suomen Akateemisten Naisten Liitto – Finlands Kvinnliga Akademikers Förbund ry. (Finnish Federation of Graduate Women) is an international and cross-generational network of women graduates who promote gender equality and non-discrimination and advance peace and human rights. Our politically non-aligned, non-governmental organization was founded in 1922. Since 2013, our NGO has been a member of Finland’s Women, Peace and Security network which enhances the goals of UNSCR 1325 and subsequent related resolutions and consists of over 20 Finnish NGOs, independent researchers, and other experts. https://akateemisetnaiset.fi/.

Last updated 8 April 2024