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Participation in a working seminar on WOMEN, WAR and PEACE on the invitation of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway and UNDP, Sofia, 9 March 2009.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway and the United National Development Programme (UNDP) in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria extended an official invitation to Mr. Rumen Petkov, Chairperson of the IISC General Meeting, to take part in a seminar celebrating the International Women's Day. The event was held on 9 March 2009 at the Military Club in Sofia.

The main focus of the Seminar discussion was put on finding ways for the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security to work effectively. This document was adopted in 2000 with the aim of addressing the impact of war on women, and to increase women's contributions to conflict resolution and attaining lasting peace.

As a NATO and EU member, Bulgaria actively participates in international operations, which makes the issue of women's role in conflict management and conflict resolution, as well as in peace processes as a whole even more attractive.

The seminar was attended by the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria; Mr. Henry Jackelen, UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator for Bulgaria; Ambassador Helga Hernes - International Peace Research Institute, Oslo; Lieutenant-Colonel Nevyana Miteva, Association of Women in the Bulgarian Army; Major General Kristin Lund, Army of the Kingdom of Norway; Ms. Osnat Lubrani, Director of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Brussels office; Ms. Genoveva Tisheva, Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation; Ms. Catherine Sharpe, Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Bulgaria; H.E. Ms. Tove Skarstein, Ambassador of Norway to Bulgaria.

Women are at risk and in danger as victims of war and armed clashes. Ms. Osnat Lubrani, Director of UNIFEM Brussels Office talked about the protection of women against sexual harassment in conflict situations. The standpoint of Bulgarian women's organizations on Resolution 1325 was highlighted by Ms. Genoveva Tisheva, Managing Director of Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation. Ms. Catherine Sharpe, UNHCR Representative in Bulgaria, delivered a report on "Women as victims of conflicts" addressing the particular characteristics of the Balkans.

The organizers marked the International Women's Day by emphasizing this important subject in order to sensitize the public on the issues that UNSCR 1325 addresses, as well as to encourage the main stakeholders to apply the Resolution effectively. Representatives of ministries, various organizations, the non-governmental sector and many media took part in the event.

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