Raising EU and NATO Effectiveness: The Impact of Diverse Boots on the Ground

• In Event: Gendering Foreign and Security Policy

Abstract

The new challenges that NATO (and the EU) faces requires a more holistic security paradigm that enables the inclusion of effective women. This study of women in their NATO operations and missions includes a lack of mandatory training for gender focal points, double-hatted positions, and non-mandatory assessment reports as well as a low prioritization of gender issues, a gap in research to include on the ground operational data and feedback, a lack of binding political measures, and a stronger follow-through in implementation. NATO members and partners need to take action as increased roles for women on deployments and military missions is not only a matter of fairness and equality, but, most importantly, one of practical and concrete success in terms of increased operational credibility and higher effectiveness of military missions.

Author

• Gale A. Mattox, U.S. Naval Academy