Inside Sénégal’s National Gendarmerie, attitudes towards gender are beginning to shift. With support from the Elsie Initiative Fund, gender-focused training is encouraging young student gendarmes such as Awa Padane and Babou Mansaly to rethink long-held beliefs about equality and leadership in the security sector. “I used to think that leadership in the gendarmerie was reserved … Continue reading Discussing gender norms with Sénégal’s next generation of peacekeepers

Captain Ndeye Yacine Faye was one of the first women to join the Sénégal National Gendarmerie and is the first to command its Air Transport Company. In 2025 she passed the Assessment for Mission Service (AMS), a standardised test that determines suitability for deployment to United Nations peacekeeping operations. She shares her journey, challenges, and … Continue reading When women lead: Captain Ndeye Yacine Faye, trailblazer in the Sénégal Gendarmerie

Officer Toffe Mendy is Sénégal’s only female special weapons and tactics (SWAT) officer, with a passion for global peacekeeping. She recently participated in the EIF-supported training, which prepares women for future deployment within a formed police unit (FPU). She shares with the EIF insights into her role, journey, and her aspirations for the future. “I … Continue reading Toffe Mendy: “Being the only woman in the unit has its challenges, but I don’t think gender determines a person’s worth or skills.”

Security sector reform demands determination and sustained commitment from those in leadership. Police Commissioner Binetou Guisse—the Sénégal National Police’s first official gender focal point—is at the forefront of this reform. With support from the Elsie Initiative Fund, the Sénégal National Police is taking concrete steps to expand the meaningful deployment of uniformed women to United … Continue reading When Women Lead: Commissioner Guisse on reforming security institutions in Sénégal

Lieutenant General Cheryl Pearce is the highest-ranking uniformed woman in the United Nations (UN). As Acting UN Military Advisor, she oversees the delivery of military capabilities to UN peace operations. In her previous role, Lieutenant General Pearce was appointed as Force Commander of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) between 2019 – 2021. With … Continue reading When Women Lead: Lieutenant General Cheryl Pearce on navigating command and culture in peacekeeping

When Major General Anita Asmah joined the military more than thirty years ago, she was only the seventh female in Ghana to join in a non-medical role. Today, Major General Asmah is Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), deployed in the area of separation on the Golan Heights. Her career reflects … Continue reading When women lead: Major General Anita Asmah on leadership, peacekeeping, and building inclusive teams

Balancing family responsibilities with professional duties remains a major challenge for uniformed personnel in United Nations Peace Operations. In many societies, social norms place the burden of caregiving disproportionately on women—often limiting their career opportunities, including participation in peacekeeping missions. To help reduce this barrier, the Uruguay Armed Forces (UAF) launched a pilot family support … Continue reading Peacekeeping and Parenting: How Uruguay’s women in uniform balance duty and family

First Corporal Carolina Bandeira, 45, has been serving as an auxiliary nurse in the Uruguay Armed Forces (UAF) for 15 years. Her first peacekeeping deployment was to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2020, and she is now serving with the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the area of separation on the Golan … Continue reading When Women Lead: Carolina Bandeira on challenging gender norms in the security sector

Colonel Doctor Thomashire Anita George is the most senior uniformed woman in the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF). A medical doctor by training, she leads both the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit and the Pediatric and Under-Fives Unit at 34 Military Hospital in Freetown—Sierra Leone’s second-largest medical facility. She shares why improving health services … Continue reading Colonel Doctor Thomashire George on the importance of health services for security sector reform