A 4-day leadership course for 20 women police officers was organized last week by the Police Component of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the General Directorate of the Ivorian Police.

The course was aimed at inculcating the notion of gender in the policewomen within the framework of the security sector reform (SSR) and in support of community initiatives of women committed to reconciliation and peace in Cote d'Ivoire.



The move by UNOCI and UNDP was also aimed at preventing any inequalities between men and women in the police force during the implementation of SSR at the level of the Ministry of Interior and Security.

At the closing of the course on 20 November 2014, the representative of the Chief of UN Police, said he was satisfied that participants had acquired the necessary knowledge that could be used to develop the different police departments.

Mr. Riadh Ben Eltaief called on the women to form sensitization networks for the integration of women in the national police and to organise open-door days to raise public awareness.

"Capacity-building for leadership is no longer perceived as a domain reserved for men. Women are now present in almost every sector, especially those that were traditionally closed to them such as managerial positions and they have demonstrated that they can manage, guide and influence human resources," he said.



The Deputy Country Director of UNDP, Ms. Aissata De said "we have high hopes that as leaders, you would improve your daily duties and your relations with your colleagues."



The representative of the Director-general of Police, Commissioner Prudence Ahua was of the opinion that the workshop would help improve the output of women and make them develop a greater liking for the police and other corps.



Earlier a spokesperson for the women said she and her colleagues have taken up the challenge to be part of the government policy of emergence in the year 2020.

Some of the recommendations presented by the participants included the need for training and preparations for the test of becoming a member of UN police; training and information for the families of those ready for departure to UN peacekeeping missions; adapting police school infrastructures to gender requirements, and transformation of the personnel department into human resources department.

It would be recalled that the course provided an opportunity to UNOCI (UNPOL, SSR), UNDP and UN Women to make presentations on UN Resolutions on the involvement of women in the prevention and management of conflicts and the participation of women in peacekeeping operations.