NDC Commandant advocates increase inclusion of women in security sector

Omeiza Bilal

The Commandant, National Defence College (NDC), Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, has called for deliberate efforts towards eliminating barrier to women’s leadership in the security sector and institutions.

Olotu made the call at the opening of a one-week Leadership and Mentoring Course for Senior Female Officers in the Nigerian Security Sector Institutions on Monday in Abuja.

The course was organised by NDC Centre for Strategic Research and Studies in collaboration with the UN Women and German Government.

He said the course represented a critical step in building the future of the security institution, enhancing leadership across all levels of command, and institutionalising and providing the highest level of professional military education.

Olotu said the focus of the course was to provide an essential requirement and supportive network for women leadership as well as mentorship within security institutions, which according to him, is a vital component of national security and development.

“We cannot afford to ignore the critical roles that women play in shaping our security forces in these modern times.

“Despite the progress made towards gender inclusivity, there are still persistent barriers that limit women from ascending to the highest levels of command and leadership.

“Thus, addressing these gaps holistically has the potential to strengthen our institutions and improve our collective capacity to meet contemporary security challenges,” he said.

The commandant said the course was in alignment with the principles of the UN Security Council of 1325, which emphasizes the importance of women’s participation in strategic decision-making processes and peacekeeping efforts.

He encouraged all institutions to consider the possibility of entrenching and sustaining the platform by implementing sustainable practices to ensure a brighter future for everyone.

He also urged participants to engage fully not only in acquiring the knowledge shared but also in contributing to the creation of a sustainable mentoring framework that would continue to impact institutions.

The UN Women County Representative, Ms Beatrice Eyong, commended the college for convening the course and thanked the government of Germany for being supportive in ensuring that gender was being mainstreamed in the security sector of Nigeria.

Eyong, represented by the Deputy Program Manager for the Women Peace and Security, Peter Mansha, said the support for Nigeria started since 2020, when it initiated the first phase of the Enhancing Gender-Responsive Security Operations and Community Dialogue.

She said the project was initiated based on the fact that UN Women conducted an assessment in some of the Nigeria’s security institutions, and discovered that there was a huge gender gap in its security institution.

She said that the Nigerian army, police and NSCDS had adopted gender policies and strategies to ensure full operationalisation of the gender policy.

According to her, they are beginning to see women taking leadership positions in these institutions and see gender responsiveness in their operations.

“The second component of the program has to do with capacity building, institutional strengthening.

“We know that security institutions cannot be gender responsive if they don’t have the capacity,” she said.

The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annette Gunther, represented by the Deputy Defence Attache, Lt.-Col. Michael Gerstenecher, said that peace would not be possible without women.

Gunther said that the growing presence of women in security sector was not just about reinforcing gender equality but also about reinforcing the quality and effectiveness of security institutions.

According to him, half of the world’s and half of Nigeria’s population cannot create peace alone.

“If we want lasting peace and security, we need women’s participation.

“Despite the gains, challenges to the inclusion of women in peace and security efforts, under-representation, gender bias, sexual harassment, and a complex work-life balance make life in the security forces difficult for women.

“In many countries, including my own, Germany, women are still largely under-represented in the security forces,” he said.

The Provost of NDC CSRS, Prof. Adam Ahmed, said the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 stated that women must be part of administration, decision-making, peace, enunciation, and be involved in all strata.

What’s that? And then you know, like you said some time ago, there is no way, there is no tea party.

He said that the women required capacity and requisite knowledge to be properly sophisticated to take up leadership roles in the security sector.