Banjul, 6 February 2025 – The European Union, the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and the Gambia Police Force (GPF) successfully hosted the Gender Promotion Initiative (GPI) Celebration Ceremony, marking the culmination of a year-long capacity-building program aimed at enhancing leadership and professional competencies among female officers in the GPF.
The GPI was implemented under the European Union-funded project “Supporting the Gambia Security Sector Reform Towards Improved Security, Migration, and Border Management.” A key component of this project focused on empowering women in leadership roles within the GPF. Over the past year, twenty female officers underwent a comprehensive training program that included leadership development, policing skills, personal improvement plans, and mentorship, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed for career advancement.
In his remarks, EU Deputy Head of Mission, Mr. Raphaël Brigandi, reaffirmed the European Union’s relentless commitment to gender equality and security sector reform in The Gambia, noting, “Since 2017, the European Union has been a steadfast partner in The Gambia’s democratic transition, supporting security institutions to become more effective, accountable, and inclusive. This initiative is a clear demonstration of our commitment to gender mainstreaming, in other words taking fully into account both women’s and men’s interests and potential within the security forces. Empowering female officers strengthens the police force as a whole, fosters community trust and promotes professionalism. Today’s celebration marks a significant milestone but efforts need and will be continued.”
Speaking at the event, Ken Isaac, DCAF Head of Office, highlighted the transformative impact of the initiative, stating, “At the end of 2023, a force-wide gender skills training audit was conducted to assess the skill requirements of female officers. Based on this assessment, the GPF, in collaboration with DCAF, developed a tailored capacity-building program designed to enhance the leadership capabilities of women in policing. The commitment demonstrated by these officers throughout the training was remarkable, and the results speak for themselves – fifteen of the twenty participants have already been promoted.”
The Inspector General of Police, Seedy Muktarr Touray, also commended the officers for their hard work and dedication, emphasizing the GPF’s ongoing commitment to gender-responsive policing. “The Gambia Police Force is committed to gender mainstreaming and this is captured in the strategic goals of the National Policing Strategy 2024-2028. Strategic goal 2 of the plan which deals with capacity building and development speaks to this fact”, IGP Touray noted .
The GPI has not only enhanced the skills and confidence of the participating officers but has also set a precedent for further gender mainstreaming within The Gambia’s security sector. The EU, DCAF and the GPF expressed their gratitude to trainers, mentors, and international experts who contributed to its successful implementation.
Source: DCAF
