The Australian woman who drills the rules of war into the world’s militaries

Kath Stewart, the Red Cross’s first female armed forces delegate, until recently was based in Tel Aviv and active within Israel and the occupied territories

IN HER DEALINGS with armed forces and militant groups trying to persuade them to respect the laws of war, Kath Stewart has had her fair share of awkward experiences.

The Australian, who became the first woman to serve as a military and armed groups delegate with the International Committee of the Red Cross, says sometimes people mistake her for a secretary or a support person.

“It’s a stereotypical thing, that I would be a support person rather than the main speaker,” the former army officer says in an interview focusing on the push to recruit more women into such roles.

“And often in these groups, even if I was the more senior person, a number of the groups would defer to the man who was with me.”

Until recently Stewart was based in Tel Aviv and active within Israel and the occupied territories, including the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights. She had meetings with groups including the Israel defence forces, Hamas, a number of other factions in Gaza, and the Palestinian security forces.

“People often expect when you’re going to see them that you are going to be male rather than female because of the job that I do,” she says.

FULL STORY Oh but you’re female’: the Australian woman who drills the rules of war into the world’s militaries (Guardian)

Photo: Kath Stewart, the Red Cross’s first female armed forces delegate