Latvia

Latvia adopted its first National Action Plan (NAP) in 2020 for the period 2020-2025. The NAP was developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Welfare, and Ministry of Health. The various ministries also consulted with non-governmental organizations, civil society and academia to develop the NAP. The NAP highlights the interrelated nature of gender equality and peace and security and identifies the promotion of UNSCR 1325 in public administration and Latvian society as a principal objective. To further this objective, the NAP states identifies three main tasks: raising public awareness of gender equality issues and the elimination of gender-based violence, especially in the younger generation; training for the defence and internal affairs sector, including the establishment of a gender adviser position; and transfer of Latvia’s experience and knowledge. In addition to a brief implementation and monitoring and evaluation plan, the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also has a communications plan to raise public awareness of the NAP and WPS agenda at large through well-known ambassadors in the field. The NAP does not have an allocated budget, but provides a detailed timeline to implement the various tasks identified. 

Latvia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Latvia does not have a recent history of armed conflict, but is a member of NATO and has participated in overseas military operations and peacekeeping missions. Latvia has been experiencing ongoing tension with Russia as a result of the latter’s military activities, including placement of troops and ballistic missiles, in the Baltic Sea Region. Between 2010 and 2019, Latvia increased its military spending by 176 percent.  

CEDAW

1992

Global Gender Gap Index 2020

11 out of 153

Arms Trade Treaty Ratified

2014

Military expenditure (2019)

$710 Million USD

Explore Latvia's National Action Plan

  • Actors
  • Timeframe
  • Objectives
  • Actions/Activities
  • Indicators
  • M&E
  • Budget
  • Disarmament

NAP Development

The NAP states that non-governmental organizations, civil society and academia were consulted in its drafting process. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs established a working group for the drafting of the National Action Plan, which included representatives from the MFA, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Welfare, Ministry of Health. 

NAP Implementation

The NAP states that NGOs and civil society actors will be involved in the implementation of its tasks and activities along with other line ministries.

The tasks and activities stated in the National Action Plan will be  implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in co-operation with other line ministries like  Ministry of Defence, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Welfare within the budget resources allocated to the responsible institutions.

NAP Monitoring and Evaluation

Civil society actors are not involved in the monitoring and evaluation of the NAP.

An inter-ministerial working group headed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will evaluate the NAP.

The National Action Plan for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 in Latvia is for the period of 2020-2025. The three lines of actions have various deadlines for the respective events/actions mentioned. 

The main aim of the NAP is to “develop and improve coordinated actions for the maintenance of peace and security at the international and national levels taking into account the principles of gender equality”. The NAP mentions the following sub-objectives to be implemented: 

  1. Purposeful and coordinated activities in the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in international organizations and formats. 
  2. Raising public awareness of Women, Peace and Security and reducing gender-based violence. 
  3. Educating the new generation and raising awareness of gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence. 
  4. Capacity building of the Defence and Internal Affairs sector on gender issues. 
  5. Promoting the exchange of knowledge and experience on the UNSC Resolution in the framework of bilateral and multilateral development cooperation

The NAP lists three main tasks/activities to be implemented: (1) raising public awareness of gender equality issues and the elimination of gender-based violence, especially in the younger generation; (2) training for the Defence and Internal Affairs sector, including the establishment of a gender adviser’s position; and (3) transfer of Latvia’s experience and knowledge. Each of these tasks have a number of events listed under them. For instance, for the first task, these are the events: 

 

  1. International conference on Women, Peace and Security and the prevention of gender-based violence
  2. Reflection of gender issues and the elimination of gender-based violence in the teaching process of schools offering a general education
  3. Gender mainstreaming and human rights in youth work and nonformal education
  4. Exhibition about women / girls in the NAF and the National Guard and other thematic exhibitions
  5. Engaging Latvian Embassies and Missions on the topic of Women, Peace and Security and in promoting the National Action Plan
  6. Implementation of the Communication Plan on Women, Peace and Security, promotion of the topic and the National Action Plan both on social media and media, as well as at national-level events and in international organizations
  7. Establishment of a contact point network of persons / institutions involved in the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda

Each of the lines of actions have a list of performance indicators. For instance, for the line of action “Training on gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence; creation of a gender adviser position in the Latvian defence and internal affairs sector”, the indicators are:

  1. 5 training cycles in the Latvian Defence and Internal Affairs sector in the period from 2020 to 2025
  2. 3 gender adviser positions in the Latvian Defence sector and 1 gender adviser position in the Latvian Internal Affairs sector in the period from 2020 to 2025.

Regarding the monitoring and evaluation of the NAP, the document states that, “a new inter-ministerial working group headed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be established to evaluate the National Action Plan. Working group meetings will be convened when necessary. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will prepare and submit a mid-term evaluation of the National Action Plan to the Cabinet of Ministers by 1 December 2024, and information on the implementation of the National Action Plan by 1 March 2026, ensuring the possibility of a seamless transition from one period of the plan to the next.”

There is no earmarked budget to implement the NAP; however, the document states that the NAP will be implemented within the budget of the responsible institutions. 

The NAP does not mention disarmament issues or have any specific commitments to implement the same. 

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