Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF) has approved funding for Senegal as a new recipient in support of the country’s barrier assessment to the participation of military women in United Nations peace operations.
Senegal ranks as the 16th largest troop contributing country (TCC) to United Nations peace operations, deploying 987 military personnel as of February 2022. Among those deployed, 38 (3.8 per cent) are women.
In line with the Senegal Armed Forces’ Sectoral Strategy on gender for 2012 to 2022, this project is a major step forward towards achieving gender equality in the military. One of the main objectives of the sectoral strategy is to strengthen the increased and meaningful participation of female personnel in the armed forces, including in leadership positions.
The Joint Chief of Staff, General Cheikh Wade, said, “the Elsie Initiative Fund provides timely support to reinforce priority activities to mainstream gender in the Senegalese Armed Forces.”
The assessment’s findings and recommendations will guide the Senegalese Armed Forces’ efforts to develop tailored interventions to address obstacles to women’s meaningful participation in United Nations peace operations and to support the increased recruitment of women in the armed forces.
These findings will also guide the evaluation of the Senegalese Armed Forces Sectoral Strategy on gender and the development of the updated strategy for 2022 to 2032.
Senegal was one of the first African countries that adopted a National Action Plan (NAP) to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) in 2011. Senegal’s current NAP for 2020 to 2024 defines five priority areas, including crisis prevention and protection of women and girls, especially through improved judicial, police and services; promotion of women’s participation in conflict prevention and peacekeeping mechanisms; and coordination of NAP implementation.
