Today, as we commemorate the 25th anniversary of Resolution 1325, EUNAVFOR ATALANTA reaffirms its firm commitment to advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda through concrete operational actions at sea and on land.
In the words of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas: “We need to understand that gender equality is intrinsically linked to democratic resilience. The EU fully supports the Women, Peace and Security Agenda.”
This commitment is reflected in:
Promoting women’s participation in capacity-building activities.
We encourage the participation of female personnel in the delivery of exercises and training activities, with the aim of consolidating sustainable capabilities within partner navies, coast guards and maritime authorities.
Engagement with women from civil society.
We hold meetings with female leaders in our area of operations to hear their perspectives and promote their role as key actors in preventing piracy and other illicit maritime activities. These interactions demonstrate that women’s active participation is essential to strengthening resilience and security.
Full integration of women within the command structure.
We work to maintain balanced gender representation in our headquarters. Women hold key decision-making posts, reflecting the principle of full, equal and meaningful participation.
Systematic gender training for deployed personnel.
All personnel receive specific pre-deployment training focusing on gender awareness and the applicable normative framework. This training enhances operational effectiveness by fostering cultural sensitivity and adherence to WPS standards.
Specialised gender advisory support.
ATALANTA has a Gender Adviser who provides technical guidance to the Commander and his staff, ensuring the integration of a gender perspective throughout all phases of operational planning and execution.
Looking ahead, we reaffirm our commitment to further advancing the implementation of this agenda through:
- Mainstreaming the WPS approach across all operational tasks, from maritime security to civil-military cooperation.
- Collecting data on women’s participation and impact in operations, to inform evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement.
ATALANTA’s experience shows that gender equality and local empowerment are not optional: they are fundamental to sustainable peace and maritime stability.
On this landmark anniversary, we renew our commitment to listening to and protecting women’s voices, promoting equality within our ranks, and applying the principles of the WPS agenda in every one of our actions to make our naval operations more robust, inclusive and resilient.
Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano
EUNAVFOR ATALANTA Operation Commander