NATO HQ Sarajevo  /  News  /  2023  /  NATO continues to support active role of females in peace and security.

Women’s participation increases the probability of peace agreements lasting. And involving women in peacekeeping and peace support operations (PSOs) makes those teams stronger and the activities more effective.

Photo: NATO Headquarters Sarajevo.

These are just some of the reasons that the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of BiH are working, with the full support of NATO, to ensure that women can play a full and active part in military deployments.

This week, more than 120 female members of AFBiH were invited to share their experiences, to help senior leaders identify barriers that need to be removed to ensure that the best candidates, irrespective of gender, are selected for these vital missions.

Speaking at the event, the Commander of NHQSa Brigadier General Pamela McGaha also encouraged the soldiers to learn from her experiences and to be proactive in trying to shape their own careers. She said:

For me, being deployed … at the age of 22, was transformational: it changed my perspective on literally everything in the world. It changed how I saw myself. It changed how others saw me. And it changed how I saw my future in the military… The UN is constantly asking for more female personnel to be assigned to their missions … I would encourage you to think about what you can do to put yourself in contention. To put yourself in the right place. To get the right training and skills. And to engage your leadership about what you want and what you can offer.

NHQSa Commander Brigadier General Pamela McGaha addressing the participants.

Photo: NATO Headquarters Sarajevo.

MoD Inspector General, Brigadier General Mirsad Ahmic, addressing the participants.

Photo: NATO Headquarters Sarajevo.