Highlighting the critical role of women in national and homeland security through the Women, Peace and Security framework
On Friday, Nov. 15, the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University hosted the 10th annual Texas Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Symposium. Sponsored by the Bush School’s Women, Peace and Security program, this year’s event was titled “National Security and Homeland Security: The Contribution of Women, Peace and Security.” The event focused on the various ways a WPS policy framework is applied to national and homeland security efforts. Speakers included representatives from NORAD, NORTHCOM, CYBERCOM, the United States Air Force Academy, the Irregular Warfare Center, and the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Women, Peace and Security evolved from United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in October 2000, which addresses the impacts of war on women and the pivotal role women play in conflict prevention, conflict management, and sustainable peace efforts. WPS promotes a gendered perspective and women’s equal participation in peace processes, peacebuilding, and security. It also highlights the ways war impacts women and the importance of protecting women’s rights.
“Applying a gendered lens allows us to see how men and women are affected differently by crises,” said Dr. Sumin Lee, assistant professor in the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University. This perspective is vital to creating effective and comprehensive security strategies.
Dr. C. Silva Hamie, a professor at the Bush School, emphasized, “Women usually bear the burden of disaster-related impacts, from sexual violence to caregiving roles. This leads women to become negligent of their own healing and recovery.” Her statement underscores the importance of considering gender-specific impacts in security and disaster response policies.
“Nations can’t achieve national security without considering what’s happening with half of their population,” said Valerie M. Hudson, Ph.D, University Distinguished Professor and George H.W. Bush Chair, Professor of International Affairs, Texas A&M, and director of the WPS program, who was the keynote speaker for the event. “What we have found in our research is that the worse the situation is for women, the worse the national profile—whether defined in terms of conflict, government corruption, economic prosperity, or environmental preservation. All of these factors are linked to the status of women.”
The symposium reinforced the necessity of integrating WPS principles into security policies and practices to enhance the effectiveness of national and homeland security efforts. By fostering dialogue and collaboration among military and security professionals, the event highlighted the path forward for embedding WPS policies into broader security strategies, advancing global peace and security.
