Women in Security covers a wide-range of issues as it explores the link between women, security, and development. As a forum to stimulate discussion and instructive debates, the NATO Association of Canada will examine the ways in which women both contribute to and are the focus of Canadian and NATO defence and security initiatives. This program also offers a critical look at the structures and institutions that shape the role of women in security at home and abroad.

Security, Trade and the Economy Society, Culture, and Security Women in Security

The Current Israel-Palestine Conflict Requires Moral Clarity 

It has been four months since the Israel-Hamas conflict started, and until today, more than 28 000 thousand Palestinians have been killed; tomorrow, there could be more. This article aims to discuss the consequences of the war and how the international community is responding to the high tensions in the region. Since the events of Read More…

Women in Security

The Societal and Political Treatment of Women in Politics

If you were to ask any gender equality organization, coalition, collective or feminist action group, most would agree that there needs to be more female leaders. Further, there is a dire need to have more women in leadership as heads of state, Presidents, and in high-level political positions – in 2018,  roughly only 23.8% of Read More…

Women in Security

The Power of Women in Peacekeeping and its Promise for Security

It’s no secret that much of the scope of international relations, especially the security sector, is a world dominated by men. In high-level political forums, military zones, negotiation processes – women are still largely outnumbered by men in these spaces. However, the power of women in peacekeeping and peace operations cannot go understated.  Women who Read More…

Maya Gandhi Women in Security

The Women of Al-Shabaab

A recent news story by the United Nations stated that Al-Shabaab, an insurgent group seeking to establish an Islamic state in Somalia, contributed to a 60% increase in civilian deaths between 2021 and 2022. Due to their violent methods of control, the group exerts a large amount of influence on the Somalian public. Specifically, they Read More…

Maya Gandhi Women in Security

From Benazir Bhutto to Jacinda Ardern: Perceptions of Female Prime Ministers

On January 19, 2023, Jacinda Ardern, the 40th prime minister of New Zealand, announced her resignation. As prime minister, she led New Zealand through incredibly difficult times as they faced the Christchurch terrorist attacks, the White Island volcanic eruption, and the Covid-19 pandemic. She was also only the second elected world leader to give birth Read More…

Maya Gandhi Women in Security

Sexual Abuse in South Sudan: Accountability and Non-Recurrence

When the individuals that claim to provide comfort and support resort to exploitation and abuse, where do those searching for refuge go? Malakal Protection of Civilians (PoC) cite, established in December 2013 in South Sudan, is home to approximately 37,000 people seeking help from the dangerous political atmosphere surrounding them; however, the reality of certain Read More…

Afghanistan Maya Gandhi Women in Security

Differing Perspectives: What the Taliban’s Rule Means for Afghan Citizens and Canadian Policy

Many women in Afghanistan have expressed that every day is a battle to be seen, heard, and recognized as autonomous members of their own communities. In August 2021, just as the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban regained power. With this came a promise to uphold women’s rights that would soon be broken. Eighteen Read More…