The Minister of National Defense, Geraldine J. George, has called on member countries of the United Nations to take immediate action in empowering women in peace and security as it is not just a matter of justice but a strategic necessity.
She further called for the full implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which she believes will restore hope and dignity to women that are affected by armed conflicts.
“It is time to translate our commitment to the women, peace and security agenda into tangible action, including increased support for women’s organizations and holding governments accountable for their commitments to gender equality and protecting women’s rights in conflict settings,” Minister George, noted.
The Defense boss made these assertions when she served as one of the panelists at the RIGA Conference held under the theme: “Navigating Global Challenges Together” which took place in Latvia.
In a related development, the defense minister called on her distinguished panelists to join her in calling on conflict regions of the world to resolve to an unconditional cessation of e hostilities in order to restore human dignity especially for women and children who are victims of these acrimonious exchanges.
Minister George also reminded her audience that security issues such as terrorism, cyber violence, organized crime and hybrid threats which are prevalent within the Euro-Atlantic basin pose complex challenges to the world at large, therefore, it is vital to consider all possibilities for enhancing collaborative endeavors, including gender perspective in security.
The Riga Conference is an annual meeting of regional and international experts in foreign policy and defense, academics, journalists, and business representatives, promoting the discussion and assessment of issues affecting the transatlantic community.
Convening in the Latvian capital since 2006, the conference has become a recognized annual tradition in the region.
This year’s conference brought together high profile women from around the world which include Patricia Nguyen, NATO International Military Staff (IMS) Office of General Advisor (GENAD), Brig Gen Geraldine Janet George, Minister of Defense of Liberia, Ariela Blätter, President, Women in International Security, Olena Suslova, Founder of Women’s Information Consultative Centre in Ukraine and Andrejs Pildegovics, Ambassador at Large on Global and Multilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Latvia.
