Africa-Press – Angola. The Minister of State and Head of the Military House of the President of the Republic, Francisco Pereira Furtado, Monday, praised the need for the increasing involvement of women in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.
The retired general was speaking at the opening of the 1st Course on Defense and National Security from a Gender Perspective, taking place until 31 March, within the scope of resolution 1325 of the UN Security Council, of 31 October 2000.
Resolution 3125 on women, peace and security creates an international political base that supports the promotion and defense of the transversality of the dimension of gender equality, allowing women to assume a prominent role during and after conflicts.
General Francisco Furtado informed that there has been evidence in the country of a growing awareness of the importance of the integration and participation of women in the various fields of National Defence, namely in the Armed Forces.
He underlined that issues related to women, conflicts, peace, national and public security and community and domestic violence have been gaining more space, as they are now seen as victims but also essential in decision-making.
In the current context of geopolitical mutations, the updating and consolidation of knowledge must be permanent and generalist and concerns all citizens, including civilians who are reserved for a relevant role and analysis of phenomena that cut across their comfort zone.
For the Minister of State, training and information actions should take a privileged place in shaping behavior and attitudes to face the complex scenarios that may arise.
He declared that the Angolan State has never neglected the participation of women, reserving for the female gender, since the beginnings of the National Liberation Struggle and in the Defense of the Fatherland, high positions in the different bodies that make up the National Defense and Security system.
He referred that although the Military Service Law does not oblige the entry of women, around four thousand ladies are part of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) and 16 thousand are in the National Police, in the rank of general and commissioners, superior and subordinate officers in the different specialties and that the numbers tend to grow.
The Head of the Military House declared that women are staunch defenders of the preservation of peace, in the management and resolution of conflicts, as they are the ones who suffer most from its effects.
He paid “a simple tribute” to Angolan women on the occasion of March for being “brave, mysterious, intuitive, sensitive, virtuous, intelligent, delicate, graceful and wise beings”.
In an initiative of the National Defense Institute (IDN), the course is promoted in partnership with Portuguese public institutions and the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).
Topics such as “The gender issue in Defense and Security Bodies”, “The Perspective of Gender Participation in Peace Operations”, “The Condition of Women in Defense and Security Bodies” and “The Inter-sectoral of National Security”.
On the occasion, the Secretary of State for National Defence, Former Combatants and Veterans of the Fatherland, Domingos Tchikanha, informed that 767 auditors from all provinces and CPLP member countries participate in the training action, virtually.
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