A lecturer and trainees discuss in the training course. — VNA/VNS Photo Hiền Hạnh

HÀ NỘI — A Canada-supported training course on women, peace and security officially opened at the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations in Hà Nội on Monday.

Taking place from March 14 to 22, the course is for officers from the Việt Nam People's Army and partner countries in ASEAN under Canada's Military Training Cooperation Programme (MTCP).

It contributes to strengthening friendly relations and practical cooperation in United Nations peacekeeping between Việt Nam, Canada and the participating partner countries.

In his opening speech, Colonel Nguyễn Bá Hưng, deputy head of the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of National Defence, affirmed that the training course was a vivid testament to the increasingly strong and substantive relationship between Việt Nam and Canada in the field of United Nations peacekeeping.

The activity holds even greater significance as it is an in-depth international training course within the proposed cooperation initiative between Canada and Việt Nam to co-organise a series of events to promote the Women, Peace and Security Agenda under the MTCP framework.

The course’s objective is to train and raise awareness, knowledge and methods for applying the principles of the United Nations Women, Peace and Security Agenda and a gender perspective to the military functions and operations of the armed forces for officers from the Việt Nam People's Army and partner countries in ASEAN under Canada's MTCP.

The course focuses on key topics such as: an introduction to the history, theory and legal tools of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda; analysis of its impact on the military as well as on international, regional and national peace and security.

It covers exploration of the agenda's approach in ASEAN's regional action plan and analysis of the military's role in supporting commitments on women, peace and security; empowering women in the military: assessing the link between the agenda and the process of integrating women into the armed forces.

It also analyses how the military can support women's empowerment at the institutional, national and international levels.

In addition, the training content integrates a gender perspective, analysing ways to incorporate it into military functions and operations; applying gender analysis tools and exploring those used by the military at the institutional and operational levels; and practising gender analysis through scenarios in institutional and operational contexts.

The course has 32 participants who are officers and professional soldiers, including 10 international participants and 22 Vietnamese participants from various units across the armed forces such as the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Việt Nam Coast Guard, Engineer Corps, Special Forces, Military Medical Academy and Military Hospital 175.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul Payne, Canadian Defence Attaché in Việt Nam, said, "As we embark on this course, let us commit together to enhancing knowledge exchange, elevating women's leadership in peace processes and deepening cross-border, cross-sectoral cooperation. That is how we advance the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, not just with words, but with action, partnership and steadfast commitment." — VNS