Thirty (30) female officers of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) have begun a four-day capacity-building workshop on peacekeeping operations at the Police Wives Association Multipurpose Hall, Kingtom Police Barracks. The training, organized in collaboration with the British Peacekeeping Support Team–Africa, aims to strengthen female leadership, participation, and performance in peacekeeping missions.
The workshop covers key topics including conflict dynamics in Africa, United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) peace arrangements, and fundamental peacekeeping principles. It also provides a platform for experience sharing, mentoring, and strategic engagement for both past and prospective female peacekeepers.
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Sahr Yomba Senesi, highlighted the SLP’s commitment to gender sensitivity and inclusivity. He noted that female officers currently lead several strategic units, including the Corporate Services Directorate, Peacekeeping Department, and operational divisions across the country. He further recalled that all female personnel deployed on the Formed Police Unit (FPU-5) peacekeeping mission in Somalia were allocated a 100% quota.
British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Josephine Gauld, emphasized the importance of building female capacity in peacekeeping operations, noting that the workshop would enhance confidence, improve performance, and prepare officers for international missions.
Representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs also attended, praising the initiative as vital for strengthening female police officers’ capabilities in international security operations.
The workshop officially began with a group photograph of participants and dignitaries.
