The following post is one piece in a collection on our VOICES blog focused on the gendered experience in conflict and how gender differences should factor into the protection of civilians.

 

On April 3 and 4, 2019, experts from around the world gathered in Kyiv, Ukraine, for the IV International CIMIC Conference, “Comprehensive Approach to Integration of Gender Perspectives into the Security and Defense Sector of Ukraine: Bridging the Gap between Women, Peace & Security, and Protection of Civilians,” organized by CIVIC and CIMIC (Civil-Military Cooperation Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine), with support from the European Union.

As civilian women, men, boys, and girls experience conflict differently, protection strategies and must take these differences into account to be effective. Over the course of two days, attendees identified challenges, shared best practices, and developed practical steps on efforts to integrate gender perspectives and enhance the ability to provide effective protection of civilians throughout the security and defense sector of Ukraine.

Recordings from the conference are available in both English and Ukrainian, including remarks from CIVIC’s Europe Director, Beatrice Godefroy, and CIVIC’s Gender Advisor, Tazreen Hussain:

 

Remarks from CIVIC’s Europe Director, Beatrice Godefroy:

Remarks from CIVIC’s Gender Advisor, Tazreen Hussain: