EU's top soldier in Bosnia and Herzegovina joins the HeForShe campaign
Fighting gender inequality on the ground: EUFOR Commander joins UN Women’s global solidarity movement and strongly supports steps to achieve gender equality.Date:
Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 14 October 2015 – At a ceremony today organised by UN Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, European Union Forces (EUFOR) Commander Major General Johann Luif joined the HeForShe campaign.
Initiated by UN Women, HeForShe is a global solidarity movement for gender equality that encourages men and boys to pledge to act against gender inequality, which has deep social, economic and political costs for women and men everywhere. HeForShe engages men to act as role models in the fight for gender equality, women’s rights and the elimination of violence and discrimination against women and girls.
A prominent male role model, the EUFOR Commander strongly supports active steps to achieve gender equality.
“As Commander EUFOR I am proud to be part of the HeforShe campaign. Gender equality is absolutely necessary, important and right,” said Major General Luif. “EUFOR employs women in all areas of its operations. We recognize that gender equality is not only beneficial for women but for everybody.”
Getting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s men to commit to gender equality is important. Women face daunting challenges, including one of the region’s lowest economic activity rates. Disproportionately subject to violence, with limited access to employment, women in Bosnia and Herzegovina deal with stubborn patriarchal stereotypes that marginalise them and exclude them from politics and decision-making.
Gender equality is a fundamental principle of the EU‘s Common Foreign and Security Policy. EUFOR plays a key role in training Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Armed Forces. It has run gender related conferences the last three years and will soon strengthen its efforts to promote gender equality.
“It is important not only that EUFOR is gender sensitive but that we promote this among the men and women we train and mentor,” added Major General Luif.
UN Women supports Bosnia and Herzegovina as it adopts global standards to achieve gender equality.Gender equality can only be achieved if men and boys take full responsibility, working side by side with women and girls, to redress local dynamics that hinder progress. HeForShe is a way to start a conversation and promote positive masculinity.
“HeForShe calls on men and boys to take steps to advance gender equality, to take action to stop violence against women, to refuse to be a bystander, to denounce it and reject impunity,” says Ms. Anne-Marie Esper Larsen, UN Women Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the signing. “HeForShe asks men lead by example in their family and community by treating women and men equally, challenging gender stereotypes and sharing equitably in family and household responsibilities.”
Since its global launch in September 2014, more than 480,000 men – including 137 men in Bosnia and Herzegovina – have joined the HeForShe campaign and committed to taking a stand for gender equality.
Men and boys can take a stand and become active in fighting for women’s and girls’ equal rights today by signing up to the HeForShe campaign here: https://www.heforshe.org.