Odeta Barbullushi: Women, security and European integration

What does security mean for countries on the path to European Union accession? How can small states influence the European debate? And what difference can a gender perspective make at the negotiating table? What is the role of women’s leadership in diplomacy and negotiations?

Odeta Barbullushi, an expert in foreign policy, former Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, and former Sherpa to the Albanian Prime Minister, reflects on these questions through the lens of Albania’s European path and, more broadly, that of the Western Balkans.

Drawing on her experience at the heart of regional diplomacy and negotiations, Odeta analyzes the changing geopolitical context and emphasizes that security cannot be reduced solely to the military dimension: human security, institutional resilience, and socioeconomic development are equally central to building a more stable Europe.

This episode is part of #HerStories, the podcast of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network, produced in collaboration with the IAI and Women In International Security Italy, dedicated to the voices of women mediators and peacebuilders in the Mediterranean.