NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller to receive International Trailblazer Award
Brussels, September 24, 2018—Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller is the highest ranking civilian woman in NATO’s history and a steadfast champion for gender equality in the alliance.
Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security will honor Gottemoeller this Wednesday, 26 September with the 2018 International Trailblazer Award, presented at the Chalet Robinson at 8:00pm. The award is bestowed annually to leaders who recognize the important role of women in creating a more peaceful and secure world.
“NATO has been the most successful military alliance throughout history, but attention to the role of women in security has not always been at the top of NATO’s priority list,” said Gottemoeller. “We know that we at NATO need to do a better job because stability, security, and conflict resolution only come about when women are fully engaged and able to work together with their governments and with us to ensure that problems get solved down to the level of the village and the local government.”
Under Gottemoeller’s leadership, NATO has redoubled efforts to integrate women’s perspectives and participation in the work of the security organization. NATO has deployed Gender Advisors in countries such as Afghanistan and Kosovo, established a panel of civil society and women’s organizations to inform the alliance, and developed an action plan to advance the women, peace and security agenda.
“Integrating gender perspectives into the work of NATO and the security sector more broadly is an important tool to enhance operational effectiveness. Today we know that is an evidence based case,” said Amb. Melanne Verveer, director of Georgetown’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security.
Verveer will present the award to Gottemoeller along with Shéhérazade Semsar-de Boisséson, a member of Georgetown University’s board of directors.
The 2017 International Trailblazer Award was presented in London to three women negotiators and peacebuilders from Ukraine, Northern Ireland, and Myanmar: Iryna Gerashchenko, Monica McWilliams, and May Sabe Phyu.
Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security seeks to promote a more stable, peaceful, and just world by focusing on the important role women play in preventing conflict and building peace, growing economies, and addressing global threats like climate change and violent extremism.
Media Contact
Sarah Rutherford
Georgetown University