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AU Urges Female Soldiers To Step Up Peacekeeping Efforts

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has called on African female soldiers to step up their peacekeeping efforts to help stabilize the Horn of Africa nation.

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has called on African female soldiers to step up their peacekeeping efforts to help stabilize the Horn of Africa nation.

Francisco Madeira, head of AMISOM, told female personnel in the Somali National Army (SNA) and AMISOM that women’s participation in peacekeeping was a prerequisite to peace and security.

“If we empower and deploy more female peacekeepers, it will have a multiplier effect on AMISOM operations in Somalia,” Madeira said in a statement issued by the AU mission on Friday after the conclusion of the training for the female soldiers.

The AMISOM human rights, protection, and gender unit organized the one-day training to sensitize female troops on the importance of gender mainstreaming in peace support operations.

During the training, participants reflected on the challenges and successes and shared their experiences. They also made recommendations to promote gender mainstreaming in SNA and AMISOM.

UN Security Council Resolution 2472 (2019) mandates AMISOM to increase the number of female personnel, ensure women’s participation and mainstream gender in the mission’s programs and activities.

As such, the AU mission said it will continue to make progress in implementing international and African-led frameworks to promote gender equality and to empower women.

Mane Ahmed, AMISOM gender officer, encouraged the participants to continue breaking through gender barriers and inspire the next generation of women peacekeepers, noting that women are critical to the success of the AU mission.

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