Women play a crucial role in an inclusive security sector, encouraging a harassment-free environment and strengthening safety for the entire population. 

Against this backdrop, EUAM Iraq supported the Ministry of Interior (MoI) in empowering women to assume leadership roles and increasing their participation through the Female Leadership Development (FLD) programme, which kicked off in Baghdad this week. H.E. Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, the Minister of Interior, and Anders Wiberg, Head of EUAM Iraq, opened the event with introductory remarks. 

Over fifty current and emerging female leaders from the MoI attended the programme which is financed by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany and developed by EUAM Iraq. High-profile female lecturers from the Rotterdam School of Management of the Erasmus University in the Netherlands are facilitating the sessions of this multi-week training which will end in December. 

The aim of the programme is to raise awareness for the importance of women in leadership positions in the security sector, to strengthen them in their role and to improve their skills. 

“This programme is consciously tailored for women and only women take part in it. This includes not only the participants but extends also to the trainers, interpreters and other support staff. We wanted to create a space that specifically allows for a trustful dialogue on the challenges and opportunities women face in management positions as well as to provide a shielded space for developing their skills,” explains the Senior Strategic Adviser for Human Resource Management at EUAM Iraq.