On the occasion of NATO's summit this week in Washington, DC, Department of Political Studies professor Stéfanie von Hlatky and former Canadian Ambassador to NATO Kerry Buck have teamed up to write this op-ed for the Globe and Mail today:
Opinion: The NATO Summit is not just about defence, it's about shared values
An excerpt:
"...Incidents of women in the public sphere being hounded or antagonized have been on the rise in recent years, which has a chilling effect on women’s political participation. When people in our societies decide not to run for office, or quit politics out of fear for their safety, our democracy and way of life are seriously compromised. This must stop.
To this end, NATO leaders endorsed the Women, Peace, and Security Policy on July 10, explicitly recognizing that when women’s rights are protected, countries are more secure. This renewed NATO commitment mirrors Canada’s own efforts to advance gender equality, as we released a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security earlier this year.
These NATO (and Canadian) values contribute tangibly to lasting peace and stability, and are fundamental to the health of democracies worldwide. We know that countries that fail women also fail as states; they are more violent and poorer as a result. Russia is fuelling the global backlash against women’s rights and human rights through toxic propaganda, as another way to undercut Western states and NATO as an alliance."