Jonna Naumanen: "Incorporating women into security and defense is a strategic necessity."

BrusselsJonna Naumanen (Finland, 1981) is a gender equality expert with seventeen years of experience in multilateral diplomacy and a gender-based perspective on security and defense. She previously worked with the UN and the OSCE and is currently the Senior Adviser on Gender Equality and Women, Peace and Security at the European Union's External Action Service.

We are navigating a turbulent time: more and more brutal wars, technological changes and the rise of artificial intelligence, disinformation, an emerging world order in which human rights seem to matter less, and the climate emergency. This combination of crises affects everyone, but the impacts are not the same in each location.

— I'll use Cynthia Enloe's metaphor for the COVID-19 pandemic: we're all in the same sea, but we're sailing in very different boats. Some countries are on cruise ships, others are on armored submarines, and many are on small rowboats. What I'd like to add to this metaphor is that all these vessels have holes. Holes like the unemployment rates for women, violence against women, and the lack of women in leadership and decision-making. Repairing these vessels would make us more resilient to storms. We know that gender equality is the strongest predictor of peace, stability, and prosperity. But not all vessels are friendly; on the contrary, some are targeting us with military threats, but also hybrid ones.

The world is becoming more violent against women.

— As stated in the latest UN Report on Women, Peace and Security, there has been a 50% increase in the number of women and girls living in conflict contexts, a 50% increase in conflict-related sexual violence, and a 35% increase in grave violations affecting girls. However, if we look at the presence of women, only six women have served as judges at the International Court of Justice since 1945. And if we look at peace mediation, in 2023, on average, women represented only 9.6% of negotiators in peace processes.

For 25 years, UN Resolution 1325 has emphasized the importance of having more women in the military. Now, it seems this idea is being taken seriously in Europe. Perhaps because it now needs more soldiers?

— It's a reality that we need a stronger defense against the aggressor from the East. This also means stronger analytical capabilities, so we need all the brains we have in Europe. For a long time, the military has been viewed very stereotypically as the place of strongmen, where only physical capabilities matter, and too often recruitment for many militaries has been based solely on this factor. In recent years, this understanding has been evolving. One of the reasons is that wars are also fought on the internet, in the information space, in the hybrid space, and in other arenas. Thus, physical capability is no longer the sole or even the primary requirement. Different analytical capabilities are becoming increasingly important. Empathy and an understanding of human psychology are also needed. Leadership skills are needed that go beyond giving orders, but also ensure that the troops want to participate. I think what's happening is that there's beginning to be a broader understanding of the different skills required by the military and defense, and as a result, there's a growing understanding that these capabilities aren't limited to men alone, but must be sought throughout society as a whole. And, ultimately, if we also look at how to structure our defense in the military, in the European context, we should also look at civil defense. We need strong hospitals. We saw this during the pandemic: we need strong healthcare structures. We also need strong structures in terms of telecommunications, water and energy infrastructure—a defense of society as a whole.

The narrative about a possible ceasefire in Ukraine doesn't seem to have much of a gender perspective... rather, it seems dominated by alpha males.

— I think it's necessary to listen to Ukrainian women. Ukraine has made significant efforts in the area of peace and women's security. They have a new action plan, which they developed during the war. They have revised their legislation to better address conflict-related sexual violence and wartime rape perpetrated by the Russian armed forces. They have also made progress in how they approach the role of women and gender equality in recovery and reconstruction. But how to implement all this in practice is clearly the next step. And in this, what is needed is for women's organizations, women MPs, and female policymakers to be able to influence decision-making. Too often, in too many contexts, women may have a seat at the table, but what they say is either not heard or not taken seriously enough.

And what should be heard?

— It's about ensuring that violence against women is addressed, that victims receive the support they need, and that perpetrators of that violence do not go unpunished. And it's also about ensuring that women have access to labor markets in the future, that there are public budgets for care work so women can access the labor market, so women can participate in the reconstruction of their countries. That women war veterans are taken into account, not only those who have served in the military, but also in other areas of defense. And, of course, facilitating the return of refugees. It's also about ensuring that women have economic opportunities to decide about their lives and their future. And at the same time, guaranteeing women's participation in decision-making in parliament and government. When the war and martial law are over and Ukraine has free elections, we must ensure that women can run safely, that they are not attacked by hate speech or sexist disinformation directed against women in politics.

There is a reactionary escalation against women's rights and gender equality, a misogynistic hatred that is amplified on social media. Why are women's rights under particular attack?

— We see the rise of various entities and powers, mostly anti-democratic, who dislike the idea of women having full rights and consider this to go against so-called traditional family values. It goes against their idea of the man as the head of the family and a submissive woman. With the rise of social media, the ability to spread hate anonymously has made it possible to target and threaten influential or powerful women and spread stereotypes. Mostly men, but some women too, buy into the idea that misogynistic hate can suddenly spread. It's allowed to spread hate, even leading to crimes. Things that 10 years ago people would have said, "Wait, this isn't right," are now accepted in small circles, and from these small circles, they spread to the whole of society.

And what do we do?

— Perhaps the most important thing is to ensure that our information space isn't overrun by misogynistic entities or external influences. And we need schools to teach critical analysis and critical media reading skills. Young children must learn to analyze where the information they receive comes from, who disseminates it, and why. We need cyber defense capabilities to address the gendered components of foreign information manipulation, and we need military and civil defense structures to leverage 100% of available resources, not just the skills and knowledge available. We want true inclusion, which requires incorporating women's rights and concerns into decisions. And also a seat at the table. Incorporating women into the security and defense sector not only reflects our values but is a strategic necessity.