Task Force Latvia co-hosts Senior Leadership Seminar for Ukrainian Ministry of Defence personnel in Riga, Latvia

June 4, 2026 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time - 1:52

By: Captain Wyatt Shorter, Deputy PAO for Task Force Latvia

From April 28 to 29, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel deployed on Operation REASSURANCE and serving with Task Force Latvia (TFL) attended a Senior Leadership Seminar (SLS) in Riga, Latvia, hosted by the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM). The seminar focused on advancing the integration of gender perspectives into military planning and operations.

Co-organized by TFL, the seminar brought together Allies and partners, including representatives from Sweden, Latvia, and Ukraine, to exchange practical approaches and lived experiences related to inclusive operational planning. The event reinforced Canada's leadership in advancing the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda and promoting intersectional approaches that ensure all members of a defence force are supported throughout mission design and execution.

A key highlight of the seminar was a series of presentations from members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who shared innovative, gender-responsive solutions developed under the pressures of ongoing full-scale war. These included adaptive clothing to support wounded personnel during recovery and return to duty, body armour designed to better accommodate sex-specific body types, and inclusive equipment procurement practices that reflect the diverse needs of service members.

"For me, integrating gender perspectives is about winning, not ideology. In today's conflicts, human terrain is contested terrain," said Major Corey Anhorn, TFL's Human Dimensions Officer and one of the Canadian presenters. "When embedded in operational planning, it sharpens threat analysis, enables manoeuvre, and helps commanders seize decisive ground while ensuring we take care of our people with the right equipment, resources, and leadership. Seminars like this allow us to learn cutting-edge lessons from Ukrainian forces who see the operational value of this type of work every day, and to share best practices so we collectively fight smarter and stay ahead of our adversaries."

Canadian personnel played a leading role in facilitating multinational dialogue and sharing operationally tested expertise, drawing on the CAF's experience in integrating gender perspectives across operations. Participants worked to align inclusivity efforts in support of deterrence and defence with NATO standards, while remaining adaptable to the realities of multinational operations.

Seminar discussions also examined practical mechanisms for implementing inclusive policies, including improving training systems, incorporating accessibility into infrastructure planning, strengthening recruitment and retention approaches, mainstreaming gender perspectives across warfighting functions, and addressing the full spectrum of care from treatment to reintegration within military medical systems.

The SLS reinforced the importance of partnership and shared learning in building effective, inclusive defence teams, demonstrating Canada's continued leadership in strengthening Allied and partner operational effectiveness.