14.7% of Bulgarian Armed Forces Personnel is Female - Defence Minister
At present, 14.7 per cent of the personnel of the Bulgarian armed forces is female, Defence Minister Nikolai Nenchev said here on Tuesday. He took part in an international conference "Women, Peace and Security" organized by the Atlantic Club in Bulgaria and the Association of Servicewomen.
The forum takes place in connection with the 15th anniversary of Resolution 1325 of the UN Security Council under the auspices of the Defence Minister.
Of Bulgarian servicewomen, 7.2 per cent are in the Land Forces, 3.8 per cent in the Air Force, 1 per cent in the Navy and around 3 per cent in the structures, directly subordinated to the Defence Minister. At the same time, over 92 per cent of them are represented in the lowest echelons of the armed forces as privates and sergeants. Female junior officers account only for 5.6 per cent and senior ones - for 1.75 per cent, said Minister Nenchev.
He recalled that all formal obstacles to the admission of women to the armed forces in Bulgaria have already been removed.
National Ombudsman Maya Manolova spoke about the existence of an 'invisible barrier', which foils the career development of women. She voiced hope that this barrier will be lifted and already within her term as Ombudsman she will be able to hailthe first female general or admiral.
There has been considerable progress in the drafting of legislative frameworks but not in their application, said Marriet Schuurman, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security. No equal participation of women and men in the prevention of conflict has been ensured yet, she added.
The forum takes place in connection with the 15th anniversary of Resolution 1325 of the UN Security Council under the auspices of the Defence Minister. Of Bulgarian servicewomen, 7.2 per cent are in the Land Forces, 3.8 per cent in the Air Force, 1 per cent in the Navy and around 3 per cent in the structures, directly subordinated to the Defence Minister. At the same time, over 92 per cent of them are represented in the lowest echelons of the armed forces as privates and sergeants. Female junior officers account only for 5.6 per cent and senior ones - for 1.75 per cent, said Minister Nenchev.
He recalled that all formal obstacles to the admission of women to the armed forces in Bulgaria have already been removed.
National Ombudsman Maya Manolova spoke about the existence of an 'invisible barrier', which foils the career development of women. She voiced hope that this barrier will be lifted and already within her term as Ombudsman she will be able to hailthe first female general or admiral.
There has been considerable progress in the drafting of legislative frameworks but not in their application, said Marriet Schuurman, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security. No equal participation of women and men in the prevention of conflict has been ensured yet, she added.
Sofia,Bulgarian Times
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