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June Newsletter
Dear Friends,
WIIS started June with a fantastic event in collaboration with the Embassy of Liechtenstein as part of our ongoing Gendered Harm series that began in 2023. We have numerous exciting events and opportunities lined up for June! Be sure to join us on June 26th for an in-person event; read below for more information.
We value your input on supporting our amazing community and members better. We continue to encourage our community to be vocal and active members of our network.
Warm regards,
Ariela Blatter
President & CEO, Women In International Security (WIIS)
Upcoming Events, Opportunities & Announcements
EVENT:
Military Medicine and the Hidden Costs of War
- Date: June 26, 2024 at 11:00 AM (EDT)
- Summary: Join Women In International Security (WIIS) for an in-person discussion with Dr. Tanisha Fazal (Prof. Univ. of Minnesota) on her publication, Military Medicine and the Hidden Costs of War. Dr. Fazal will be joined by Dr. Tracey Perez Koehlmoos ( Director of the Center for Health Services Research, Walter Reed) and Lourdes Tiglao (Executive Director, Center for Women Veterans, US Dept. of Veterans Affairs).
ANNOUNCEMENT:
WIIS Italy's President has been appointed a Member of the Gender Equality Advisory Board-GEAC.
- Summary: The Italian government appointed WIIS Italy President Loredana Teodorescu to the Gender Equality Advisory Board (GEAC). The GEAC is a high-level international group of experts that advises the G7 Leaders on gender equality. The GEAC issued the first round of recommendations during the G7 Summit, underlining the importance of integrating the gender perspective in all policy areas.
OPPORTUNITY:
Data Analytics for Policy Professionals Course
- Offer: 10% discount for WIIS members.
- Details: GW’s Elliott School of International Affairs’ Data Analytics for Policy Professionals Course is an executive education program that aims to bridge the gap between data science and traditional analysis in international affairs and public policy.
Recent Events
Gendered Harm II: The Disproportionate Impact of Chemical and Biological Weapons on Women and Girls
- Date: June 4, 2024
- Summary: WIIS and the Embassy of Liechtenstein held a virtual discussion on the gendered impacts of chemical and biological weapons. This event, built upon last year's event, Gendered Harm: The Disproportionate Impact of Weapons on Women and Girls, aimed to advance policy debates and outcomes by addressing issues such as the differentiated biological impacts, emerging technologies, and equitable gender representation in these fields.
International Security Career Development
- Date: June 11, 2024
- Summary: WIIS Canada and WIIS McGill hosted a professional development workshop. The first part took place on June 6th, and it involved a professional path mind map exercise. This mind map was used on June 11th during the second part, which featured a panel of professionals from the field of International Security.
Careers in Academia
- Date: June 11, 2024
- Summary: WIIS UK hosted an event with Dr. Hillary Briffa to discuss academic career options. The event included a talk, Q&A, and informal networking.
WIIS Poland hosts the Logistics of Uniformed Services in the Face of Modern Challenges Conference
- Date: June 10, 2024
- Summary: WIIS Poland hosted a conference in partnership with the University of Warsaw. The conference was an opportunity to discuss adapting the logistics systems of uniformed services to the rapidly changing realities of internal and international security.
WISCOMP presented Doing Meditation Differently: Converting Challenges into Opportunities
- Date: June 5, 2024
- Summary: The first dialogue in WISCOMP’s (WIIS- INDIA) Meditation series featured a plenary talk by Neha Sanghrajka (UN Senior Conflict Sensitivity Advisor). She spoke about her experiences as a senior mediator in Kenya during the electoral crisis of 2007 and her role in the mediation process in Mozambique leading to the Maputo Accord of 2019.
Global Women Leaders Mentoring Program
Date: June 5th, 2024
Summary: WIIS Italy launched its 4th edition of its Global Women Leaders Mentoring Program. With the support of senior professionals, the program offers mentees the opportunity to strengthen their skills, share their challenges and opportunities, and grow professionally.
The Strategic Context of Spain's Security: A View from Civil Society
- Date: June 4, 2024
- Summary: WIIS Spain (SWIIS) celebrated the Congress of Deputies by gathering alongside other Spanish organizations working on security and defense to share their vision of how civil society will shape these issues. The Director of the National Security Department, General Loreto Gutierrez Hurtado, gave the final address.
WISCOMP presented Women and Mediation:1325 & Beyond - Roundtable
- Date: May 17, 2024
- Summary: WISCOMP (WIIS- INDIA) held a roundtable that attempted to unpack the complexities of women’s multiple and complex roles during times of armed conflict and its aftermath when peace talks and peace mediations are underway. It raised the question of women’s participation in peacebuilding and acts of armed combat, whether in the regular armed forces or as members of rebel groups.
Member Spotlight: Publications and Awards
The “Real Man” and National Security by Heather Huhtanen and Joan Johnson-Freese
In this article, authors Heather Huhtanen and WIIS Senior Fellow Joan Johnson-Freese examine the relationship between masculinity and national security, particularly the “real man” version of masculinity. They illustrate with evidence that “real man” masculinity is consistently correlated to those who engage in mass violence, mobilized violence, and violent extremism. They argue that gender equality is not just beneficial to women but is a critical factor in achieving political, economic, and social stability around the world.
EU and Her: Women and Political Participation
Summary: WIIS Italy has posted its latest EU and Her Podcast episode. Doru Frantescu (CEO, EU Matrix. eu) and Loredana Teododorescu (CEO, WIIS Italy) discuss how gender impacts political participation
WISCOMP Celebrates 25th Year Anniversary
In July 2024, WISCOMP (WIIS India) will celebrate 25 years of action and commitment towards nurturing constituencies of peace and promoting cultures of pluralism and coexistence in South Asia. Originally established as an initiative of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, for the past two decades WISCOMP has grown into an integral agency of support and promotion of women’s leadership.
WISCOMP Dialogues: Conversations on Mediation
WISCOMP launched a new series, Conversations on Mediation, as part of its celebration of 25 years of engagement in Peacebuilding. Envisioned as a series of curated public lectures, roundtables, panel discussions, interactive dialogues, film discussions, performances, and installations, these intend to demystify the theory and practice of mediation as applied to peacebuilding.
The Catherine M. Kelleher Fellowship for International Security Studies
The Catherine M. Kelleher Fellowship for International Security Studies supports an exceptional graduate student pursuing their master’s or doctoral degree at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. Professor Kelleher founded WIIS in 1987 and is also a founding faculty member of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, where she also founded the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM). Throughout her policy and academic careers, Professor Kelleher was a champion for women in the field of international security policy. This fellowship is intended to ensure that future generations benefit from the kind of support that she gave to countless people in the field today. Catherine M. Kelleher passed away on February 15, 2023.
BECOME A MEMBER
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Do you have feedback or suggestions for us?
Don’t hesitate to email [email protected] to suggest topics and/or events that you’re interested in so that we can better meet the needs of our community!
