Pentagon chief Pete Hagseth. Photo: Michael Probst/AP
The programme, which promoted the participation of women in security forces to strengthen peace, was eliminated by the new leadership of the US Department of Defence, causing a wave of criticism among politicians and the military.
The United States has cancelled the Women, Peace and Security programme, an initiative aimed at strengthening the role of women in security operations. This was announced by US Secretary of Defence Pete Hagel during a speech on Tuesday, the Associated Press reports. He described the programme as “woke” – a derogatory term for progressive initiatives – and called it “a UN project promoted by feminists and left-wing activists”.
The programme was launched in 2017 as a bipartisan initiative under the presidency of Donald Trump, supported by his daughter Ivanka Trump. The aim was to engage women in security processes, especially in regions where men are not able to interact with local women for cultural reasons.
General Dan Kane stressed during a congressional hearing that female soldiers were often key in communicating with the local population after combat, allowing for a better understanding of the humanitarian context of the situation.
The cancellation of the programme caused a wave of criticism among Democratic senators. Senator Jeanne Shaheen said that Hagseth “has no idea what he’s doing”, while Senator Tim Kaine accused him of spreading outright inaccuracies.
The UN representatives, who initiated a resolution on the importance of women’s involvement in peacekeeping processes back in 2000, also expressed disappointment. The statement notes that women’s participation in peacekeeping missions has had a real and measurable positive impact on the protection of civilians in conflict zones.
