“If we are serious about our mission, which is to prevent conflict and arrive at lasting sustainable peace, then we have to incorporate gender equality…. This is a matter of efficiency, of finding better answers to today’s security challenges which are very diverse, very complex, and we need more comprehensive responses.”

AMBASSADOR MARRIËT SCHUURMAN is the NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security. She is responsible for facilitating the coordination and consistency in NATO’s policies and activities around the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and related Resolutions.

Themes: security, international law, gender equality

Takeaways: “Trust who you are; don’t try to fit into a template.”

Amb. Schuurman is a career diplomat for the Kingdom of the Netherlands who enjoys hiking and holds a Masters degree in Translation Studies from the University of Amsterdam. You can follow her groundbreaking work as she tweets UNSCR 1325 progress and frontline updates from @MarrietS. Check out more information on NATO’s Women, Peace, and Security Agenda and follow its progress on Facebook.