Hanoi (VNA) – A training course on Women, Peace and Security Agenda (WPS) for 2026, supported by Canada, officially opened on March 16 at the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (VDPO) in Hanoi, highlighting the military’s role in promoting gender equality and supporting peace and security commitments.
Running from March 14 to 22, the course is designed for officers of the Vietnam People's Army and partner countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) participating in Canada’s Military Training and Cooperation Programme (MTCP). The initiative aims to strengthen practical cooperation and friendship among Vietnam, Canada and ASEAN partners in the field of peacekeeping.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Colonel Nguyen Ba Hung, Deputy Director of the VDPO, said the jointly organised course demonstrates the increasingly effective partnership between Vietnam and Canada in UN peacekeeping activities.
He noted that the programme is also part of a broader initiative jointly proposed by the two countries to organise a series of activities promoting the WPS agenda under the MTCP framework.
The course aims to improve participants’ awareness, knowledge and practical skills in applying the principles of the WPS agenda and integrating gender perspectives into military functions and operations.
Training sessions focus on several key themes, including the history, theoretical foundations and legal frameworks of the WPS agenda; analysis of its impact on the military and on peace and security at international, regional and national levels; and the role of the army in supporting commitments related to women, peace and security.
Participants will also explore how the agenda is incorporated into ASEAN’s regional action plans, as well as approaches to empowering women in the military. They will examine the relationship between the WPS agenda and the integration of women into the military, while analysing ways in which the military can support women’s empowerment at institutional, national and international levels.
Another key component of the course is the integration of gender perspectives into military activities. Participants will learn how gender analysis tools can be applied in both institutional and operational contexts, and will practise applying these tools through case studies and scenario-based exercises.
The training is delivered by three instructors from Canada, supported by a coordination team of four members, including one Canadian officer serving as both coordinator and lecturer and three officials from the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
A total of 32 trainees are attending the course, including 10 international participants and 22 Vietnamese officers and professional servicemen from various army units.
Lieutenant Colonel Paul Payne, Defence Attaché of Canada to Vietnam, said participants should use the training as an opportunity to strengthen knowledge exchange, enhance women’s leadership in peace processes, and deepen cross-border and cross-sector cooperation.
So, the Women, Peace and Security agenda is promoted not only through words but through concrete actions, partnerships and sustained commitments, he said./.
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