Marković: Improving the position of women in the security sector is a prerequisite for the efficiency of institutions

Improving the position of women in the security sector is an important prerequisite for building modern, professional and efficient institutions, said State Secretary at the Ministry of Defense Marko Marković.

He opened a panel discussion on the topic "Women in the Security Sector: Experiences, Challenges, Institutional Responses and Different Perspectives", which was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the Army of Montenegro, the Police Administration, the National Security Agency and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP).

At the event, which was held at the "People's Hero Milovan Šaranović" barracks in Danilovgrad, Marković said that gender equality is not only a matter of equal opportunities, but also a matter of system quality and operational efficiency.

According to him, improving the position of women in the security sector is an important prerequisite for building modern, professional and efficient institutions.

"The experiences of women who perform responsible tasks on a daily basis at the tactical, operational, and managerial levels are invaluable for further improving policies and practices in the security sector. Our goal is to build an environment in which expertise, knowledge, and professional results will be the only criteria for advancement and career development," said Marković.

As announced by the Ministry of Defense, the panel discussed the challenges faced by women in the security sector, despite significant progress achieved through the normative framework and implementation of gender equality policies and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.

The statement states that the participants, including the Chief of Staff of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Montenegro Mitar Klikovac and the Acting Director General of the Directorate for International Cooperation, European Integration and Projects and the management staff of the Police and the National Security Agency Tijana Šuković, presented their experiences from the tactical, operational and strategic levels through three thematic units.

A special focus, it was added, was on personal and professional experiences from field work, challenges and the gender dimension of operational work, as well as the implementation of gender equality policies in security system institutions.

"It was emphasized that the integration of a gender perspective allows security institutions to better understand the security environment and respond more effectively to the needs of the entire population, thereby improving operational efficiency, the quality of decision-making and the success of task execution," the Ministry of Defense said.

As stated, during the discussion, it was concluded that the exchange of experiences and strengthening cooperation between institutions are an important step towards creating a more inclusive and efficient security sector.

The Ministry said that the formal conclusions and recommendations from the panel will be consolidated and delivered to decision-makers in order to further improve the position of women and strengthen gender equality policies in the security sector.