Women, Peace And Security: In Conversation With Helena Carreiras

Women play a critical role in conflict negotiation, post-conflict reconstruction, and broader peace-building efforts. Despite their importance, significant challenges remain in advancing gender equality within the armed forces and promoting gender rights in conflict and post-conflict settings. To explore these topics, we are honoured to feature Maria Helena Carreiras, former Minister of National Defence of Portugal. Dr. Carreiras will share reflections on her role as the first female defence minister of Portugal, as well as insights from her broader research on gender integration policies across NATO countries. Dr. Careirras will be joined by Dr. Sukanya Podder and Dr. Florence Waller-Carr, for a broader discussion on gender in conflict and post-conflict settings. 
 

Meet the speakers

Dr Helena Carreiras is a security expert and former Portuguese Minister of National Defence (2022–2024). Prior to her time in government, where she was the first female defence minister, Carreiras also served as the first female director of the country’s National Defence Institute between 2019 and 2022. She was previously a longtime professor at ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon where she served as deputy director of the Institute for Public and Social Policies. Carreiras’s research focuses on gender integration in military institutions and gender aspects of international security. She is also interested in broader themes such as gender and society and civil-military relations.

Dr. Florence Waller-Carr is a Visiting Fellow at the LSE. Her research explores the role of civil society organisations in shaping and implementing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and their broader role in working for sustainable feminist peace.

Chair: Dr Sukanya Podder is a Reader in Post-War Reconstruction and Peacebuilding. Her research focuses on conflict actors and conflict-affected populations including rebel groups, child soldiers, military peacekeepers, ex-combatants, and stateless populations. 

Our Policy & Practice seminars bring together policy makers, practitioners and academics to discuss key issues in politics. All seminars are free to attend and open to all.

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Recording

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Seating and tickets

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Accessibility

• The corridor outside the lecture theatre(s) is sufficiently wide enough (150cm+) to allow wheelchair users to pass.
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• There is not a visual fire alarm beacon in the lecture theatre(s).
   

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