πππππ ππππππππ ππ π πππππ ππππππ
The adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in 2000 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), alongside other related frameworks, underscores the critical need to enhance womenβs participation and promote gender equality in Peace Support Operations (PSO). Increasing the involvement of Women Military Officers (WMO) in these operations remains a key strategy in advancing this global agenda.
In response to this call, the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), through a Curriculum Writing Board (CWB) convened in April 2025, developed the Women Military Officers in Peace Support Operations Course (WMOC). The course is designed to equip participants with the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for effective and meaningful participation in the implementation of peace operations mandates.
The current WMOC brings together 20 female military officers from Kenya and Ghana. The programme aims to strengthen their leadership capabilities, enhance their understanding of cross-cutting issues in PSO, and prepare them to effectively perform in complex peace operations environments.The two-week course is sponsored by the Government of Canada, reflecting its continued commitment to advancing gender equality and supporting capacity-building initiatives in peace operations. During the opening ceremony, the Canadian Defence AttachΓ© to Kenya, Colonel Todd Braithwaite, encouraged participants to actively engage, share experiences, and build professional networks to maximize the benefits of the training.
Speaking at the same event, the Commandant Peace and Conflict Studies School (PCSS), Colonel Emma Ngigi, expressed appreciation to the Government of Canada for its continued support. βThe contemporary peace and security environment continues to evolve, and peace operations today require highly skilled, adaptable and professional personnel. The integration of gender perspectives and the increased participation of women in peace operations are now widely recognized as essential elements in achieving sustainable peace,β she emphasized.
The WMOC continues to serve as a forum for empowering women military officers, ultimately contributing to more inclusive, effective, and responsive peace operations.
The Director IPSTC, Major General C L Mwazighe, emphasized the importance of strong leadership in modern peace operations, noting the increasingly challenging nature of peacekeeping missions. He highlighted that todayβs peacekeeping environment is characterized by complex security threats, the spread of misinformation, and rising expectations from the communities served by these missions hence the need for well-prepared and adaptive leaders capable of making strategic decisions.He stated, βTodayβs peacekeeping environment is increasingly complex and dynamic. Missions face evolving security threats, misinformation, and growing expectations from the communities they serve. These realities demand well-prepared, adaptive, and strategic leadership. This course therefore provides an important opportunity to strengthen leadership capacity for peace operations.β
The two-week course, sponsored by the United Kingdom through British Peace Support Team - Africa will not only enhance participantsβ knowledge and skills of strategic mission leadership and their roles and responsibilities to successfully implement a mission mandate but also adequately enhance participantsβ understanding of mission partners, their roles and synergies in a PSO context.
Also present during the opening ceremony was the British Deputy High Commissioner to Kenya, Ms Rosy Cave, Commander British Peace Support Team β Africa Colonel Andy Pitt and Commandant Peace and Conflict School Colonel Emma Ngigi.
The training places strong emphasis on practical application and risk informed decision making, enabling participants to effectively identify, assess and mitigate explosive hazards in complex operational settings. By fostering a shared understanding of safety procedures and operational standards, the course enhances interoperability among peacekeepers from different troop contributing countries, strengthens personnel protection, and supports coordinated and effective mission execution across United Nations peace operations.
The course stands as a strategic investment in the professionalization of peacekeeping, strengthening collective preparedness to address evolving threats in contemporary mission environments. By building a cadre of skilled and confident personnel from the region, the training supports sustainable capacity development and reinforces the United Nationsβ commitment to safer, more effective and accountable peace operations.
