It is a widely held belief that some circles in the Brussels bubble are quick to judge. This dismissive culture stifles new ideas before they have a chance to be tested, take off, and become effective.

This is what is happening to the post of the gender advisor to the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the woman who got the post.

An initiative of Sweden, the post was created to establish a function dedicated to gender related matters and promoting the UNSC Resolution 1325 within the EU foreign and security policy.

Since the beginning, it was welcomed halfheartedly by the member states.

Once approved, the position did not go to a Nordic candidate, as was expected, but to Mara Marinaki, former managing director for multilateral affairs in the EEAS.

It seemed like a peculiar choice. A representative from Greece - a country which has not had a stellar record of advancing women, their rights and empowerment, and has yet to develop a National Action Plan to implement UNSCR 1325?

Photo Credit: Isaac Kasamani