When Sergeant Alice Domeh was deployed to Somalia in May 2024, she arrived with a singular mandate: to help stabilise the country and safeguard humanitarian efforts.
Domeh, a 12-year veteran of the Ghana Police Service, is part of a cohort of women serving under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Police component. On any given day, she may be navigating an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) or serving as a precision gunner. When she is not in the field, she shifts to the administrative backbone of the mission, working as a logistics officer at the AUSSOM Police Headquarters in Mogadishu.
For Domeh, the presence of women in the military, police, and civilian sectors in Somalia is not just about representation; it is a tactical necessity.
“Women play a crucial role on the mission ground, including in conflict resolution, mediation, protecting civilians, especially women and children, and promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment,” she says.
Domeh is among hundreds of female peacekeepers tasked with maintaining security while advancing the global Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda.
The weight of this responsibility is underscored each year during the observance of International Women’s Day. Held under the theme “Rights, Justice, Action for All Women and Girls”, this year’s commemoration serves as a rare moment of reflection for female peacekeepers in Somalia.
“International Women’s Day is a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience required to fight for equality in a mission environment,” Domeh says. “It is a significant milestone for us to celebrate our progress while we are still out here doing the work.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ogundiran Omotayo, a Nigerian police officer serving as Deputy Logistics Officer, oversees planning and equipment supply for field operations in Mogadishu.
“As a female peacekeeper, my experience on the ground proves that women are fully capable of meeting operational demands. From carrying rifles and entering the battlefield to commanding units and delivering positive results, women are doing more than just occupying space—they are leading with impact,” she says.
Omotayo notes that serving in the mission has given her leadership opportunities and a platform to innovate in what has traditionally been perceived as a male-dominated field.
In a mission environment historically dominated by men, female officers are also serving as mentors. Inspector of Police (IP) Cynthia Stephen, a lawyer and training officer from Nigeria, says their presence sends a powerful signal to the local population.
“Currently, women are underrepresented in the Somali Police Force (SPF), but our presence provides the necessary encouragement to bridge that gap. I am confident that by seeing their counterparts in action, the next generation of Somali girls will be inspired to join the force, ensuring their voices are both seen and heard in the near future,” says IP Stephen.