On 29-31 January 2024, NATO headquarters welcomed the NATO Committee on Gender Perspectives (NCGP) Executive Committee for their annual Plenary Session, to discuss NATO's priorities for the integration of the gender perspective and outline the NCGP's work plan for the upcoming year.
The annual Plenary highlighted NATO's priorities for the integration of the gender perspective and outlined the work delivered by the NCGP. The Executive Committee planned the agenda for its annual Conference, set to take place from 6-8 May 2024. Following this, the Chair introduced the Executive Committee to the NCGP's programme of work highlighting key Lines of Effort to support the NCGP's output as an advisory body to the Military Committee. Briefings from the wider gender community of interest including ACO GENAD, ACT GENAD and the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations concluded the first day.
The Executive Committee attended the Military Committee working group discussions on the NCGP Terms of Reference update, which will be the first revision of the NCGP's framework since 2014, and the military advice for NATO's updated Women, Peace and Security Policy, which was tasked to be updated after the Vilnius Summit. They then met with the Secretary General's Special Representative (SGSR) for Women, Peace and Security, Ms Irene Fellin, to hear about her objectives ahead of the Washington Summit. They also coordinated on how the NCGP and the SGSR's team can better support each other in the future.
Following recent elections for the NCGP Executive Committee, Lieutenant Colonel Rosa-Linda Lucchesi (ITA-AF) was selected to serve as the next Chair-Elect, while Lieutenant Colonel Melanie Lake (CAN-A), and Lieutenant Commander Nikolai Vibe (NOR-N) will serve as the Deputy Chairs to the current Chair of the Committee, Colonel Jane Male (USA-AF), and Deputy Chair, Major Caroline Berger (NLD-AF).
The NCGP is governed by an Executive Committee and supported by IMS GENAD. The Executive Committee is comprised of the Chair, the Chair-Elect, three Deputy Chairs and the IMS Gender Advisor, and must have at least one member of each gender. Both the Executive Committee and the Military Committee (NATO's senior military authority) can task the NCGP on specific gender-related issues.
Each NATO member and partner nation is entitled to designate one active duty officer of senior rank (or civilian equivalent) as a delegate to the NCGP. Delegates should be familiar with the latest national developments in gender approaches and tools for gender mainstreaming. They should also have knowledge of NATO and national policies relating to the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and related Resolutions.
