FORT LESLEY J. MCNAIR, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES –
The Inter-American Defense College (IADC) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) hosted the North American Defense Framework for Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Design Workshop on February 28-29, 2024.
The purpose of the WPS Design Workshop was for experts from the defense sectors in United States, Canada, Mexico and The Bahamas to collaborate to draft a framework for building enduring and practical WPS capabilities in North America.
According to Tiffani Phillips, director of human security and resilience at North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and USNORTHCOM’s Security Cooperation Division, the intent of the workshop is to bring together diverse perspectives with diverse partners.
The WPS Design Workshop directly supports the agreement made during the May 2021 North American Defense Ministerial co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of Defense, hosted by the Canadian Minister of National Defence, and with Mexican co-chairs Secretaries of National Defense and the Navy to expand trilateral support and cooperation in multilateral regional defense institutions.
As a result, USNORTHCOM is integrating WPS strategies, to include mission and vision for North American WPS collaboration, that were developed at the workshop and will be signed by all participants, to include Joint Task Force-Civil Support.
The inclusion of gender perspective is achieved by incorporating WPS into military education, addressing gender-based violence, and integrating a gender perspective into military operations.
“Implementation of WPS program is a Command priority,” said Major Tania Sang, gender advisor for Joint Task Force Civil Support. “Failure to conduct a gender perspective may risk the safety, security, and human rights of women, men, girls, boys, and gender minorities especially during conflict and crisis.”