Pictured (L-R): The three female-only delegations at the NATO Annual Session in February 2016 in Brussels – Netherlands Ambassador to the North Atlantic Council Marjanne de Kwaasteniet, Canadian Ambassador to the North Atlantic Council Kerry Buck, Canada-NATO PA Chair Cheryl Gallant, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Netherlands-NATO PA Chair Angelien Eijsink, Iceland-NATO PA Chair Thorunn Egilsdottir, and Iceland Ambassador to the North Atlantic Council Anna Johannsdottir. February 15th, 2016.
In celebration of International Women’s Day (#IWD2016), I would like to highlight the leading women on the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and on the NATO Parliamentary Association, with both the Canadian representatives to the NAC and the head of the delegation filling important roles as decision makers, based on merit.
Men, women, and children, and especially Canadians can be proud of the contribution of Canadian women to the international defence and security arena. Young girls and women can emulate and aspire to likewise rising to places of leadership and prominence in their own fields, confident it is their ability and hard work that opens doors for advancement.
UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was the first to specifically state and encourage a framework for women’s participation in the peace and security agenda, including political participation as decision makers in organizations like NATO.
The stated goal of International Women’s Day is to ‘celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.’
Today, we celebrate the many contributions of Canadian women to the world, their region, and own communities. Women want freedom to be able to fully be themselves. They are smart, capable, and ambitious. The path to achieve gender parity in any field is not through artificial quotas, which is offensive to the reality of the proven strengths women have to stand on their own two feet. Women in Canada can benefit from the freedom, rule of law, and their equal value in today’s society.
In this respect, Canada has much to be proud of.
Celebrate the women who inspire by using #IWD2016 and recognizing them publicly for their contribution.