The AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has called on African female soldiers to step up their peacekeeping efforts to help stabilise the Horn of Africa nation.
Francisco Madeira, the Head of AMISOM, gave this task in a statement issued by the AU mission on Friday after the conclusion of the training for the female soldiers in Mogadishu.
Madeira 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.
The AMISOM human rights, protection and gender unit organised the one-day training to sensitise 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 programmes and activities.
As such, the AU mission said it would continue to make progress in implementing international and African-led frameworks to promote gender equality and to empower women.
Mane Ahmed, the AMISOM Gender Officer, encouraged the participants to continue breaking through gender barriers and inspire the next generation of women peacekeepers.
Ahmed noted that women were critical to the success of the AU mission. (Xinhua/NAN)
