Peace and security - CEP

Online Training on Gender Equality Completed

21. 5. 2021 | EUPCST, POTC, PR

Following a successful pilot training organised in 2020, the Centre for European Perspective is organising an online training on Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming in Peace Operations.

The Peace Operations Training Centre, operating within CEP with the support of the European Union Police and Civilian Services Training, has successfully concluded the Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming in Peace Operations Training that took place from the 18 to the 20 of May 2021.

Members of Police forces from 12 European countries addressed the international legal framework on gender equality with a special focus on EU legislation, the issue of gender in relation to human dignity in international operations, impact of conflict on gender-related issues and gained insight into concrete situations and issues in experience sharing sessions with experts from the field.

The training on gender equality was in high demand and 29 participants altogether successfully completed the course. They gained different insights, but all agreed that the training was a success:

“This was my first online training. Easy and nice! From the learning perspective it is as effective as sitting in the old fashion class-room.”

“The discussions made me realize some actions that I and others do. I reflected on how it impacts on others and how this has a rippling effect. It was good to hear it from the perspective of women. I am now in a process of looking at some of my behaviors.”

“Thanks a lot to have the possibility to take part in this training. I will start my next mission in a couple of weeks, and I feel very well prepared in gender related topics.”

“As a trainer I always have opportunity to listen to similar content, but nevertheless this was a really good course with new information which I will use at my work.”

Online training on Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming in Peace Operations

12. 5. 2021 | EUPCST, POTC, PR

Following a successful pilot training organised in 2020, the Centre for European Perspective is organising an online training on Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming in Peace Operations. The training will take place in the period from the 18th to the 20th of May 2021.

The online lectures, workshops and participatory activities will cover the basic topics regarding gender equality and mainstreaming. Participants will gain skills and knowledge that will help them engage all stakeholders regarding gender equality and include the perspectives of women in their efforts to build sustainable peace.

The Online Training will be carried out by the Peace Operations Training Centre operating within CEP with the support of the European Union Police and Civilian Services Training.

Pre-deployment Training for Civilian Personnel Joining the EUAM Ukraine and EUMM Georgia successfully concluded

26. 4. 2021 | POTC, PR

Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) organized a Pre-deployment Training for Civilian Personnel Joining the EUAM Ukraine and EUMM Georgia from 20 – 23 April 2021. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the training was delivered in a virtual form.

Pre-deployment trainings aim to increase the functioning ability of the mission staff by equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to become operational and capable to adapt to the new working environment. This pre-deployment training was designed specifically for civilians that are about to be deployed either to the European Union Advisory Mission in Ukraine (EUAM) or the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM).

The training provided an overview of the local environment and historical context of both countries, thoroughly presented both missions, prepared the trainees for an interview, explained the basics of orientation, and equipped the participants with gender lenses together with skills for successful trainers, mentoring, monitoring and advising. Many thanks to all the trainers.

Although virtual trainings bring different challenges we are certain that our participants will be prepared to embark on assigned responsibilities with confidence and adapt to complex mission life. All the best of luck to all of them!

Pre-deployment Training for Civilian Personnel Joining the EUAM Ukraine and EUMM Georgia is under way

19. 4. 2021 | POTC, PR

Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) is organizing a Pre-deployment Training for Civilian Personnel Joining the EUAM Ukraine and EUMM Georgia. The training will, due to COVID-19 restrictions, take place virtually from 20 – 23 April 2021.

The pre-deployment training course is one of the primary tools used to generate competent, institutionally knowledgeable, and ethically aware civilian personnel capable of serving in dangerous and complex environments. This training will be mission-specific, focusing on the European Union Advisory Mission in Ukraine (EUAM) and the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), designed for police and civilians that will be potentially deployed to one of the above-mentioned missions. The training is intended to provide a shared understanding of the environment and both missions, including cross-cutting themes and priorities such as gender mainstreaming and the development of basic skills, such as map reading, monitoring – mentoring – advising and skills of a good trainer.

After successfully completing the training, the new civilian staff members will be prepared to undertake assigned responsibilities with confidence and adapt to complex mission life.

POTC is developing Community and People Centered Approach training

23. 3. 2021 | POTC, PR

Peacekeeping operations have changed over time. Since the nature and mandate of operations have transformed, we can say that they have become more complex. A significant difference can also be seen in the type of participants, which have altered from international to national actors, and from military to civilian actors.

The NATO Summit in Washington in 1999, defined the concept of civil-military cooperation for the first time. This cooperation has also been one of the seven strategic goals of NATO’s long-term programs until 2025. The concept was developed by all countries and can be implemented by members of the military with civilian knowledge or with the participation of civilian experts without military knowledge.

In Slovenia, this concept is called “civilian functional experts” or CFS. CFS are specially trained professionals in a variety of fields that link the military and civilian environment. Their main task is to establish good relations with the local population, as well as with civilian, non-governmental, governmental, international, and other organizations in the field of peacekeeping missions. At the same time, they work in their field with the aim of stabilizing, restoring, or developing the civilian environment. CFS must have a good knowledge of both civilian and military thinking and action and are specially trained for this. Through their work, CFS make an important contribution to the overall military objective of the operation, which is to ensure a secure and stable environment while creating better conditions for the stabilization and reconstruction of society and the state.

POTC, together with the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Slovenian Police, Slovenian Armed Forces, Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, and Slovenian Red Cross is taking a comprehensive approach towards developing Community and People-Centered Approach training for CFS.

Today’s workshop was the first one in the series, to familiarize with the activities in the field of various stakeholders. It will set the basis for identifying the needs for civilian-military cooperation by involving all relevant stakeholders in the process.

EUCTI’s Kick-off Meeting

12. 3. 2021 | EUCTI, PR

The official kick-off meeting of the EU Civilian Training initiative (EUCTI) project virtually took place on 11 March 2021. The meeting welcomed eight project partners as well as representatives of EU structures, OSCE African Union, UN and EU CSDP missions. The meeting provided a platform for intense knowledge exchange through past and present experiences in the field of civilian crisis management and cooperation strategies that will provide guidance for the project.

The EUCTI project, co-funded by the European Commission through under Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI.2), Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace, Conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and crisis preparedness component. The overall budget of the project is 2,5 million EUR. The EUCTI project consortium consists of eight partners: Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ASPR), Clingendael – the Netherlands Institute of International Relations, Crisis Management Centre Finland (CMC), EGMONT – The Royal Institute for International Relations from Belgium, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSA) from Italy, Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF) from Germany, Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) from Sweden and CEP from Slovenia as its coordinator. All consortium partners participated previously in the Europe’s New Training Initiative for Civilians Crisis Management (ENTRi) activities and the EUCTI will draw on this experience.

The kick-off meeting was opened by the welcome speech of Markko Kallonen, Head of the EUCTI Secretariat, Katja Geršak, Executive Director of Centre for European Perspective, Matej Marn, Head of the Department for Security Policy at the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Marc Fiedrich, Head of Unit, Service for Foreign Policy Instruments at European Commission. They emphasized the importance of training and capacity building for effective CSDP missions. The project can build on ENTRI legacy, harmonize the actions and ensure close collaboration among all stakeholders.

After presentations of project partners: Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ASPR), Clingendael – the Netherlands Institute of International Relations, Crisis Management Centre Finland (CMC), EGMONT – The Royal Institute for International Relations from Belgium, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSA) from Italy, Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF) from Germany, Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) from Sweden and Centre for European Perspective (CEP), the meeting touched upon how the initiative fits into larger EU CCM (training) framework and on TRAs and their importance in training design and for EUCTI. EU CSDP Training Missions, OSCE, African Union, and UN representatives contributed to the meeting with their valuable insights about the current training needs, the impact of COVID-19, and the training delivery.

Over the next three years, 30 training activities, developed and designed specifically for the mission that will voice a training need, and implemented in the mission or in the region. Several other project activities, related to the development of new pedagogical approaches to the training, evaluation, and standardization, as well as support for 3rd country training institutions, will also be accomplished.

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