Tag: Gender
Isabelle Zhu Women in Security

Shifting Priorities in Ukraine: Is NATO’s WPS Agenda Under Threat?

WPS policies are often disregarded when matters deemed of higher priority emerge, despite NATO’s high engagement of WPS values through public diplomacy, military, and political means. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has posed the biggest security crisis to NATO in decades, and considering the gendered dimensions of the war, which has seen high rates of sexual and gender
based violence, NATO’s limited WPS response leaves the future of the Agenda in question. As a core tenet of NATO’s values, WPS must not be disregarded; member states that have adopted FFPs, such as Canada, should continue to drive the WPS agenda forward. This article makes key recommendations, including shifting to a human rights-based approach (HRBA) and employing more intentional language in operational directives, to support Ukraine’s current WPS policies.
Christy Lorenz Women in Security

Divide and Conquer: How Gender-Based Disinformation Weakens Western Militaries

This article examines misogyny and broader anti-gender ideology as under-recognized vectors of hybrid warfare that undermine NATO’s democratic resilience, military cohesion, and Alliance legitimacy. It argues that foreign adversaries exploit entrenched patriarchal and exclusionary narratives through gender-based disinformation to exacerbate polarization, target political actors, weaken trust in defence institutions, and delegitimize NATO. The article concludes that the principles of NATO’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) policy counter foreign disinformation by limiting the impact of harmful gendered narratives and reinforcing pluralism, and what can be done to strengthen democratic resilience and NATO’s collective defence in an era of hybrid conflict.
Centre For Disinformation Studies

The Role of Government in Combating Gender-Based Disinformation 

In July, 3 employees of TBH Skincare, an Australian brand, took part in a TikTok trend where participants described their physical attributes and pieces of clothing in a singsongy fashion. After the post went viral, various internet users began attacking the trend participants, with some insisting that they were the cause of the “downfall of Read More…
Christy Lorenz Women in Security

Special Report: In All of Us Command: Rethinking Conscription Through a Gender-Inclusive Lens

How could gender-inclusive national service shape Canada’s future defence posture? This article examines the growing debate around universal service in Canada, assesses its implications for Women, Peace and Security commitments under NATO, and draws lessons from Nordic models to consider whether compulsory service could strengthen societal resilience and women’s meaningful participation in defence.
Afghanistan Maya Gandhi Women in Security

Differing Perspectives: What the Taliban’s Rule Means for Afghan Citizens and Canadian Policy

Many women in Afghanistan have expressed that every day is a battle to be seen, heard, and recognized as autonomous members of their own communities. In August 2021, just as the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban regained power. With this came a promise to uphold women’s rights that would soon be broken. Eighteen Read More…
Women in Security

Unpacking the Debate on Gender-Neutral Conscription: The Sweden Case

In this article, Caleigh Wong investigates the debate surrounding female conscription and Sweden, one of the few countries who has incorporated it into their defence policy. The Sweden case study offers justification for this practice through both a gender parity and operational effectiveness lens, but also presents shortcomings in its ability to meaningfully contribute to true equality.
Sabrina Natale Women in Security

Human trafficking in Canada: A continuous call to action

What has Canada been doing to fight human trafficking? In part 2 of this article series, Sabrina Natale discusses human trafficking in Canada, the overwhelming representation of Aboriginal and First Nation women in the industry and Canada’s National Action Plan in response to human trafficking.