Deep Dive Recap: Women in the Military – Breaking Barriers and Building Balanced Leadership
Brussels, NATO HQ, 14 January 2025 - The NATO International Military Staff (IMS) Office of the Gender Advisor (GENAD) hosted a Deep Dive session on Women in the Military: Breaking Barriers and Building Balanced Leadership. The discussion brought together female military leaders from Partner Nations to share their personal experience in advancing their military careers.
Insights were provided by Brigadier Lisa Ferris, the New Zealand Defence Advisor to the United Kingdom and Senior New Zealand Military Representative to NATO and the EU; Brigadier Lara Troy, Commandant of the Australian War College; and Lieutenant Colonel Nour Al Masarweh, International Grants Coordination and Cooperation Officer at the Planning and Organisation Directorate, Jordanian Armed Forces.
Brigadier Ferris opened the session by reflecting on the evolution of the organisation since New Zealand opened all roles to women in 1987, acknowledging progresses whilst emphasising that much remains to be done. She highlighted the implicit biases in career and deployment opportunities and how unconscious bias can sustain ingrained systems within a male-dominated culture and organisational framework. Brigadier Ferris touched on the New Zealand Defence Forces’ “Wāhine Toa” programme, which has introduced various practical measures, including providing menstrual products at all bases, and implementing sexual ethics training. She noted that these small but impactful changes reflect a broader effort to reshape the organisational culture.
Brigadier Troy highlighted the importance of building supportive networks to empower women in the military, also through initiatives such as the “Halifax Women’s Fellowship” and internal programmes at the Australian War College, which have created spaces for women to share experiences, celebrate successes, and foster resilience.
Brigadier Troy also addressed the structural biases that hinder women’s advancement. She noted that leadership roles often come with preconceived notions about who is “fit” for the job, perpetuated by gendered stereotypes. She advocated for re-evaluating role prerequisites to focus on talent rather than labels. Breaking down these biases requires introspection and persistence. According to Brigadier Troy, women should make their aspirations known, pursue necessary training and position themselves as the right choice for leadership opportunities. Stereotypes about feminine versus masculine behaviour further complicate women’s leadership journeys, which is something that must be challenged from a whole of society approach. Tools like personality profiling can help reveal commonalities across genders, breaking down these stereotypes and fostering mutual understanding.
Lieutenant Colonel Nour discussed the progresses and challenges women face in the Jordanian Armed Forces, highlighting key milestones in their advancement in various service fields. She explained that balancing family responsibilities with a military career remains a significant obstacle, but the Jordanian Armed Forces have taken steps to address this through leadership development programmes and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
The Deep Dive Session further explored approaches to breaking barriers for women in the military. This includes dismantling rooted stereotypes, ensuring equitable career opportunities and promoting allyship in male-dominated environments. The session highlighted how NATO will continue to promote the full, equal, safe and meaningful participation of women in peace and security not only as a step towards equity but as a critical element of building stronger, more resilient armed forces. This is in line with its policy on Women, Peace and Security and highlights the meaningful contributions of servicewomen across the Alliance.