By Emma Black
The Sierra Leone Police (SLP), in partnership with the British Peacekeeping Support Team Africa, has launched a four-day intensive training programme aimed at enhancing the capacity of female police officers for international peacekeeping operations.
The workshop, which began on Tuesday, 13 January 2025, is being held at the Police Wives Association Multipurpose Hall at the Kingtom Police Barracks and brings together thirty (30) female police officers drawn from across the country.
Designed for both former and aspiring peacekeepers, the training provides a critical platform for experience sharing, mentorship, and strategic engagement. Its overarching goal is to strengthen female leadership, participation, and performance in peacekeeping missions at regional and international levels.
Participants are being trained on core peacekeeping concepts, including the nature and dynamics of conflicts in Africa, United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) peace support operations, and the guiding principles and standards that underpin modern peacekeeping missions.
Delivering the keynote address, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Sahr Yomba Senesi, reaffirmed the Sierra Leone Police’s strong commitment to gender inclusivity and empowerment under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. William Fayia Sellu.
DIG Senesi noted that women currently occupy several strategic leadership positions within the SLP, including the Corporate Services Directorate, Community and Gender Directorate, Peacekeeping Department, and the Operational Policy and Planning Department (OPPD). He also highlighted that female officers serve as Local Unit Commanders (LUCs) in a number of police divisions nationwide.
Reflecting on the institution’s commitment to women’s advancement, the DIG recalled that the SLP leadership demonstrated bold support for female peacekeepers by approving a 100 percent female quota for the Formed Police Unit (FPU-5) deployed on a peacekeeping mission to Somalia.
He further emphasized that capacity building remains a central pillar of the SLP’s 2025–2029 Strategic Development Plan, stressing that the current workshop is intended to better prepare female officers for deployment and leadership roles in peacekeeping environments.
Addressing participants, the British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Josephine Gauld, underscored the importance of investing in women’s capacity within peacekeeping operations. She described the training as a valuable opportunity to build confidence, enhance performance in peacekeeping examinations, promote professional knowledge exchange, and prepare officers to operate effectively in multinational settings.
Representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs also made meaningful contributions, describing the workshop as timely and essential in strengthening the capacity of female police officers to deliver effective security services in international peacekeeping theatres.
The opening ceremony concluded with a group photograph, marking the official commencement of the four-day capacity-building programme.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Friday, 16th January 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
