An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 25 also of central relevance in the current crisis situation. In both conflict and crisis, local actors, often women, are at the front- lines. As Naraghi-Anderlini highlights, as well as comprising two thirds of the global health care workforce, women also dominate the community social work and civil society sectors in nations across the world. These women are stepping up to the threats presented by Covid-19, by mobilising and actively responding in very pragmatic, culturally appropriate and astute ways to the multiple threats it presents. These local actors are essential to the re- sponse and recovery process because their knowledge can inform and improve interven- tions. So their participation and inclusion in the assessment of each context, decision making, design and delivery of interventions is crucial. The NATO Civil Society Advisory Panel has offered valuable insights from their respective nations in this regard. Thirdly, the WPS agenda also calls for greater participation of women in politics and in decision-making on matters of peace and security. The corona crisis is revealing the relevance of this call to leadership with notably effective responses from a number of female world leaders who reacted to this cri- sis decisively and proactively in, for example, Norway, Finland, and Columbia, whilst the re- sponse of some other world leaders was less than encouraging. Finally, the WPS agenda advocates human security approach- es that are people-centric and gender sensitive. If ever people- centric and gender sensitive approaches were required – it is surely now. The COVID-19 crisis is proving to be a game-changer in the emerging security threat discourse and, in common with the WPS agenda, is challenging traditional concepts of individu- al, state and national security. Both highlight that new ways of looking at security are needed, as indeed are significant shifts in priorities, values, resource allocation, and skill sets that put the needs of both women and men at the core of what is meant by security in any given society. 2020 was planned as a big year for the Women, Peace and Security agenda with so many significant landmarks to reflect upon and celebrate, including twenty years of blood, sweat and tears since the UN Security Council's adoption of resolution 1325, the first of a series of UN resolutions that put women at the centre of the global peace and security agenda. The global community will also mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). A five-year milestone will be reached towards achieving the Sustain- able Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By any standard, this was to have been a pivotal year for the accelerated realisation of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, everywhere. Perhaps CO- VID-19, and the new realities it will herald, not least for the WPS agenda, will be the cause of the most profound reflection of all? In the meantime, I will continue to join the nightly tribute to those on the front line…they are there, after all, to ensure my security.

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