On February 28, 2019, the NATO Strategic Direction– South HUB (NSD-S) and Three Stones International held an online chat forum to discuss "Gender Equality and In/Stability in Africa". During the daylong event, NSD-S Hub personnel engaged with 70 community and civil society participants, including individuals from communities, NGOs, think tanks, and academia, from 17 African countries (DRC, Uganda, Algeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya,Tanzania, S. Sudan, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Liberia, Egypt, and Zimbabwe) and 8 non-African countries (Turkey, China, US, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Canada,and UK).
Empowering women is not just the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do: it makes countries safer and more stable. NATO is determined to make a difference, including through our training and operations".
NATO SG announcing Clare Hutchinson's appointment as Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security in 2018
Diverse and thoughtful inputs were provided by participants spanning six topics. The main outcome was gender equality is a process that needs to be continuously pushed forward inorder to reach sustainable levels to support stability and security in Africa. However, this must be done in an inclusive way and with consideration for possible counter productive effects. There were questions about NATO and gender policies, and what NATO is doing in this space.