Journalists want more informations about positions of women in security sector

Different security needs of man and women

Zorica Mrsevic, associate professor at Faculty of Europen Legal and Political Studies and researcher at Institute of Social Sciences, explained how different are security of men and women in the context of natural disasters. She noted that there is difference in vulnerability of man and women in the situations of natural disasters.

“It is very important to recognize different role of woman because disasters are not gender neutral. We need to present woman like actor in disaster, not only like victim. If we repeat the same gender relations, we repeated the same unsafe conditions and we will have the same proportion of victims in the situations of natural disasters for consequence. Consciousness that there are gender differences implies consciousness that disasters more affects marginalized and poor”, stated Mrsevic.

{image2}Tanja Ignjatovic, coordinator of development of good practices in the field of domestic violence in Autonomous Women's Center, talked about different security risks for man and woman in a partner relations. She noted that “different distribution of power allows domination of one family member and that causes violence in partnership”. She highlated different contexts that can  threaten security of woman.

“When woman is pregnant she becames more vunerable and violence starts mainly in that period because it’s easier for man to establish power and control over her. Unemployment and ownership of property what women doesn’t possess are other factors that pose a risk for women, and because of that women are forced to leave home if they want to free themselves from offender. In many situations women sacrifice themselves becouse of role of the mother, in order to protect children”, said  Ignjatovic.

Major Goran Topalovic, currently at the head of group for monitoring and coordinating at the Center for peacekeeping operations in Belgrade, gave journalists insight about security of men and women in context of war.

In words of major Topalovic from 80 million of war victims even 60 million are women. The war did not invented gender-based violence and sexual abuse, but then this phenomenon is more expressed. It is interesting that raping was declared as war crime only when men became victims too. Accepting responsibility from men is very important because women are more vulnerable in context of war. Topalovic also noted that his experience from multinational operations says that there is no task which woman couldn’t do equally well as man at the same position.{split}

{image3}Media image of women in the security sector

Research associate at the Institute of Social Sciences, Jovanka Matic, discussed with training participants about invisibility of women in the security sector, as well as on decision making positions. She presented the data showing that only 6% of news deals with the issue of gender equality, while 46% of media coverage reinforces gender stereotypes and only 6% is breaking them.

“It is important to insist on the normalization of women presence in traditionally “male” professions, in security institutions among others. It is necessary to sensitize man for gender issues. Politics of gender security, which would be in appropriate manner included in the security sector, has not yet been constructed”, pointed Matic.

{image4}Participation of women in the USA defense system

Political Adviser of the US embassy in Serbia, John Hesford, spoke about historical status of women in American army, as well as about gradual improvment of the visibility of their roles.

“When I started my career in aviation, all the pilots were men. I was optimistic about the idea that women can join. Now, all the positions in the army are open for women, including infantry that was the most conservative. There are no quotas, but women do have access to all positions and that is very important, ” said Hesford.

He also spoke about the importance of woman on the top positions in the army for breaking various stereotypes, and he pointed out that sexual harassment remains a major problem in the military.

{image5}Discussion between journalists and media representatives

Interactive discussion between journalists and persons that are in charge for cooperation with media in the security institutions was marked by the question of measures which can encourage greater involvement of women in the armed forces and at the highest levels of decision making. Upon the complaint of journalists on idleness of security systems and their inefficient dissemination of information, representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Nikola Bozinovic, and representative of Administration for the Execution of Penitentiary Sanctions, Zorana Vucicevic,stressed that it is essential for journalists to submit all their requests in a timely manner. Sanja Savic fromthe Ministry of Defense and Ivana Marković from the Customs Administration pointed towards those parts of the system with greater inclusion of women, such as MMA and border crossings. 

{image6}Study visit to the border

Based on the knowledge they have acquired during the training, journalists of print and electronic media from Belgrade, Nis, Novi Sad and Uzice, Becej, Presevo and Kosovska Mitrovica, will be able to create and publish media work and earn royalties. In addition to the topics opened up during the lectures and discussions in the library of BCSP, journalists rated study visit to the border crossing Batrovci, where they spoke to the women and men who work in the border police and customs, as a very useful one.

Afterbecoming acquainted with the history of crossing opened to traffic since 1996 and with the experiences of people working with victims of trafficking, illegal immigrants and different types of smugglers, journalists took the opportunity to conduct interviews with policewomen.

The training was held with the support of UN agencies for gender equality and women's empowerment within the project “Support to the implementation of the NAP for the application of Resolution 1325 in Serbia – Towards gender-responsive security sector.”

Translated by BCSP interns Marko Popic and Milica Ilincic