On 28 – 29 July 2026, the 5th meeting of the Standing Working Group for the Implementation of Gender Equality and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda within the Ministry of Defence took place at the Armed Forces Academy of General Milan Rastislav Štefánik in Liptovský Mikuláš. The meeting was accompanied by a training session which led  mjr. JUDr. Mária BLEHOVÁ, Ph.D. |National Advisor on Gender Equality in the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (OF-3) for the members of the working group.

The Armed Forces Academy was represented at the meeting by Assoc. Prof. Mária Martinská, PhD., and 2nd Lt. Barbora Hurtuková, PhD., from the Department of Social Sciences and Languages, who actively participated in the expert programme and discussions of the working group.

The aim of the two-day meeting was to deepen the professional knowledge of the working group members, assess the current state of implementation of the adopted measures, and discuss further developments in applying the gender perspective within the Ministry of Defence. The programme covered topics related to the legislative framework for gender equality and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, the integration of the gender perspective into the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, gender analysis, sexual harassment and gender stereotypes, as well as planned amendments to the relevant methodological guidelines.

The expert presentations and subsequent discussions provided an opportunity to exchange experience and practical knowledge. Attention was also paid to possibilities for the further implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and the gender perspective, particularly in the education and training of military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic.

The participation of representatives of the Department of Social Sciences and Languages also contributed to linking the professional topics addressed by the working group with the field of education and to further exchange of experience within the Ministry of Defence.