Recruiting and Retaining Women in National

Defense and Security

INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY GOVERNANCE
Women, Leadership and National Defense
07_29_20
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GOVERNANCE
Recruitment Agenda
1. “New world, New skills, New recruitment”
2. Obstacles and challenges to the recruitment and retention of women
3. A Look at Australia
4. Good practice, new lessons, new methods

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Eye in the Sky

GOVERNANCE

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 COMPETENCIES – What is needed in today’s
INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY
GOVERNANCE

military?
Context Skills
Diverse threats Technological/Real time
‘Unseen’ enemy Adaptability/Flexibility
Non-traditional warfare Collaborative
Diverse physical environments Linguistic
Multi-national Multi-tasking
Highly politicized Decision-making
Confidence/power of persuasion

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OBSTACLES
GOVERNANCE

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr 5th quarter

SGBV/Internal Leadership
security

Work/family life
Communication
balance

Tradition

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Tradition
GOVERNANCE

WHO SAID THAT?

“…we are not ready for women in combat”
“…they are not physically suited to the work”
“…men may act foolishly to protect women”
“…some women meet the standards, most do not”
“…they are not strong enough…”
“…they find the work too upsetting…”

THE PROBLEM WITH STEREOTYPES

• Limit the individual
• Reinforce prejudice/bias
• Rob society of talent, experience, insight, skills and capacities
• Deprive defence of resources of 50% of population
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SEXUAL EXPLOITATION and ABUSE/SGBV

GOVERNANCE

Bullying, teasing, touching, isolating, ignoring

Comments about appearance/looks, body, sexuality
Intimidation, humiliation
Blame as temptress, provocateur

Unreliable complaints mechanism

Impunity for perpetrators

Persistent fear and insecurity

Minority voice
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Leadership - Australia
GOVERNANCE

“A gender-inclusive and equitable workforce culture focuses on the behaviors and

attitudes displayed by senior executives….to ensure they foster inclusion and equity
for all genders.”

Security Review and Defense Force Conference

Announce results and frame as ‘challenges’
Whole of government approach including Gender Equality Strategy
#1 priority “Increase Diversity” “women, indigenous, LGBTI, disabled, mature)
• Systematic approach, inclusive language, publicize strategy
Acknowledge challenge to traditional approach and practices
Include “Success” indicators
Leadership visible and accountable

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Australia’s Recruitment Strategies

GOVERNANCE

Diversity and Inclusion

Strategy acknowledges:
• Changes to the working world
• Fierce competition for the best and brightest
• Need to develop partnerships and connections
with wider community
• Need to remove obstacles, make ADF accessible
and interesting
• Win public trust, be accountable
• Attract, value and retain talent, skills,
perspectives and experience 9
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Communication: Talent Acquisition

GOVERNANCE

Webinar “You are invited”

Newsletter: Talent Acquisition

Recruitment
Champions

New Sourcing Strategies

Certification for Recruiters

Careers Fair
Recruitment Bootcamp

Facebook/Website/Twitter:
#deftrab
www.deftrab@.. 10
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Work/Family Balance: Argentina

GOVERNANCE

“Argentina's Defense Minister Agustin Rossi said that the incorporation of women in the Armed Forces has
been the most important cultural change for the military since the recovery of democracy in
1983.”“Argentine Military Lauds Women's Inclusion” Associated Press, March 2020
…..
i) The National Action Plan to Prevent and End Violence against Women (2017-2019) launched
following the 2015 Global Leaders’ Meeting where Argentina committed to working toward
improved gender equality.

ii) Council for Gender Policy

• Target: to improve equal access to entry and promotion in AF + family leave benefits and
protections
• Goal: to eradicate GBV in the military and detection of domestic violence in military families

iii) Gender Office

• To deal with gender-related personnel complaints
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Recruitment is only one part of building a successfully integrated
GOVERNANCE
military
ATTRACT
RETAIN
What are the most critical
conditions necessary to retain
women in defence??
What are the attractions of a
career in the military for women?

DEVELOP & PROMOTE

RECRUI How can the development and
T promotion of women be improved?

In ONE word - what is the critical

element of successful TRANSITION
Recruitment in Mexico? Why is this an important process?
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Retention Agenda
GOVERNANCE

1. Focus on ‘Retention’
2. Removing barriers Recru
it
3. Improving access
4. Safe Inside and Outside Develop
5. Sexual Harassment Policy
Retain
6. Sickness and Health
7. Work – Life Balance n
ns i tio
8. Transition Tra

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BARRIERS, OBSTACLES, LIMITATIONS

GOVERNANCE

1. Traditional attitudes, values, behaviors, stereotypes

2. Discriminatory policies and practices
3. Lack of opportunity for development, experience, education, promotion
4. Sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment
5. Unsuitable/inadequate health, sick leave, flex-time policies
6. Unbalanced work/family life

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GOVERNANCE
THE METHOD – Gender Analysis
A gender analysis is the process of doing a systematic examination of the
relationships and interactions between men and women, their access to
and control of resources and opportunities, the constraints they face relative
to each other, and socio-cultural power structures.
Gender analysis can be applied in any context whether in a particular society,
organization, sector, operating environment, or process. Gender analysis
seeks to make the invisible, visible (for example, asking not just “how many
women” but also, “which women”).
Application of gender analysis to decision making means applying a gender
perspective.  
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WHY IS A GENDER ANALYSIS IMPORTANT TO RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

 Enhances force effectiveness, reducing blind spots

 Develops an understanding of how gender inequality shapes the lives of women and
girls, men and boys, and people with diverse sexual orientations and gender
identities
 Assists development of a context-specific gender strategy
 Examines and challenges stereotypes of male/female roles
 Improves understanding of the differential needs, concerns, competencies, talents
and experiences of women and men
 Identifies gaps in advancing inclusion and diversity
 Signals criminal/extremist groups looking to exploit weaknesses in security
procedures
 Expands and enhances situational /contextual skills
 Demonstrates a human security-centric approach – in turn, builds confidence
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Access and Opportunity Questions

GOVERNANCE

 Is the working culture inclusive?

 Is there a gender pay gap? How significant is it?
 How significant is the pink tax?
 What rules govern promotion opportunity?
 What criteria influence selection for deployment?
 Is there equitable access to training and education opportunities?
 Why are people prevented from attending training/education? (facilities and
time?
 Is there adequate and appropriate provision of accommodation,
facilities (changing room, showers) and attention to suitable
uniforms and equipment?
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Access and Opportunity – The Workplace
GOVERNANCE

Environment
Includes salary, benefits and perceived future prospects influence whether
personnel stay in defense/security institutions. There is a need for continuous
adaptation to the evolving needs and expectations of each new generation of
recruits.
 Are there equal opportunities in career development for all groups?
 Do promotion criteria reflect values and standards and avoid gender bias?
 Are promotion boards familiar with the need for a gender perspective and
gender balance?
 Are decision-makers trained in diversity and gender bias – do they understand
the organizational need for diversity and their own likely bias?
 Are there dedicated mentoring networks of senior women from diverse
backgrounds?
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“Safe inside and outside”

GOVERNANCE

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Is there a recognized, comprehensive Code of Conduct?

What is the Sexual Harassment/SEA Policy and how accessible and

confidential is the Complaints Mechanism?

Is there an Independent Review Process for complaints?

Do personnel complete a compulsory online learning on SEA/GBV?

Does the working environment focus on teamwork vs ‘protection’

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WHAT TO INCLUDE IN SEXUAL HARRASSMENT POLICY
GOVERNANCE

Definition
Who and When?
Examples/Scenarios
How to Report
Internal Complaint Procedure
Employee Rights
Retaliation Protection
Disciplinary Steps

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Sickness and health considerations

GOVERNANCE

•More women in the workforce establishing high-level careers - delay pregnancy

•Reproductive health care coverage is important to women: birth control, fertility,
child-bearing, menopause – and for men

•Reproductive health care is equally important for men – but is less recognized,
and less discussed
•Sick male members of family affects partners/children, increases stress and loss
of work time
•What accommodation is made for a parent’s absence to care for a sick child? Is
leave or pay deducted?

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Work/Family Life Balance

GOVERNANCE

• Long, irregular hours and lack of

flexible work arrangements have a
disproportionate impact on women
• Is affordable child/day care made
available?
• Are schedules accommodating to
family needs?
• Is a variety of recreation and
sports facilities available?
• How versatile are leave
arrangements? e.g. to attend to
elders as well as children?
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Moving on… Transition

GOVERNANCE

• Maintain connections with personnel taking a ‘career break’, extended

maternity leave, study break leave or any other extended leave
• Ensure policies and processes enable trained personnel to return to the
organization
• Promote and facilitate discharging members to transfer to Reserve force
• Support those transitioning for health/elder care reasons
• Facilitate retiring members to participate in public activities as –
spokesperson/ambassador, supporting recruitment, encouraging young
women, showcasing skills and experience

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Small Group Work: Recruitment and Retention

GOVERNANCE

1. Discuss in your group what you consider to be the most significant

challenges to the successful recruitment and retention of women into
Mexico’s Navy/Armed Forces.
2. Offer possible solutions to overcome the identified challenges
3. What does your group think is the most important area that Mexico should
focus on among the challenges

Timing:
Group discussion: 10-15 min
Presentation to the Plenary: 10 minutes each group

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HOW FAR HAVE WE TRAVELLED?

GOVERNANCE

“In the beginning of the last century an aggressive

and loud debate arose regarding women being given
the possibility to work in the government sector. The
argument was that the wrists of women were too
weak to write through several layers of carbon
paper.”
Lieutenant General C.G. Fant

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@isg.monterey

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Created by Angela Mackay
angespace2401@gmail.com
@Institute for Security Governance

@isg_monterey