Photo By Capt. Emerson Marcus | The Nevada National Guard leadership attended the Northern Nevada International...... read more read more
Nevada National Guard leaders and members of its State Partnership Program (SPP) attended the Northern Nevada International Center’s annual Global Gala on March 24 at the Atlantis Resort and Casino in Reno for a discussion on how to end gender-based violence.
“It’s amazing to witness all that NNIC is doing with all these leaders in this room,” said the event’s keynote speaker Josephine Kulea, the founder of Samburu Girls Foundation, which advocates for educating and protecting the rights of children in Kenya’s Isiolo and Samburu counties.
Kulea met with leaders of the Nevada National Guard at the event, including Nevada Adjutant Brig. Gen. William Burks and Assistant Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Zachary Doser.
In 2008, Kulea began rescuing girls who faced forced marriages and other practices, including female genital mutilation. Today, Kulea leads a non-governmental organization seeking to protect the rights of children.
Along with Kulea, a delegation of international visitors from around the world traveling under the auspice of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program visited Reno for the NNIC event.
“It was truly humbling to meet Kulea and hear her story,” Burks said. “Kulea’s selfless service, and the service of others like her, has moved our global community in the right direction toward ending gender-based violence worldwide.”
Through its SPP, the Nevada National Guard advances gender integration to complement and enhance existing initiatives on gender equality, women’s empowerment, ensure respect for human rights and address the needs of vulnerable populations in crisis and conflict environments, said Maj. John Brownell, the Nevada National Guard’s SPP director.
“In support of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, the Nevada National Guard fosters an inclusive security sector through engagement and executive education, producing lasting experiences and outcomes for security practitioners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region,” Brownell said. “The Nevada National Guard strives to achieve greater gender balance in all SPP exchanges by working in concert with U.S. country teams within partner nations to increase female participation in courses and workshops with a new goal of 25 percent female participation.”
The Nevada National Guard’s state partner is the Kingdom of Tonga. Nevada and Tonga have also partnered in several Pacific Command and South Pacific exercises that include active duty, guard and reserve U.S. forces as well as military personnel from Australia, New Zealand and several other Pacific Rim nations.
SPP links a unique component of the Department of Defense – a state's National Guard – with the armed forces of a partner country in a cooperative, mutually-beneficial relationship.
| Date Taken: | 04.10.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2016 12:31 |
| Story ID: | 194937 |
| Location: | RENO, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 103 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Nevada Guard SPP combats gender-based violence, by Capt. Emerson Marcus, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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