Women’s Leadership ‘Critical Gap’ in Somalia’s Security Strategy

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: The National Center for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (Tubsan) has launched a programme to strengthen the country’s security response by expanding the role of women in the armed forces.

At a training workshop in Mogadishu, Tubsan brought together female officers from the police, national army and custodial corps to examine how women can influence peacebuilding, intelligence work and community engagement.

Tubsan Director Ali Yasin Gurbe said women must be integrated into frontline security efforts if Somalia is to effectively challenge extremist networks that often embed themselves deep within communities.

“A security structure without women leaves a major gap,” Gurbe told participants. “Your involvement strengthens our national defence and improves cooperation with the public.”

His comments reflect the government’s view that military operations alone cannot dismantle extremist ideology. Tubsan focuses on the social and ideological roots of radicalisation, and officials say women are uniquely positioned to detect early warning signs, mediate local conflicts and build trust where security forces may struggle to reach.

The workshop trained officers on leadership, community communication and identifying radicalisation risks, while also addressing the hurdles women face in a male-dominated security sector.

Officials say the initiative is part of a broader effort to make Somalia’s counter-extremism strategy more inclusive and better aligned with community realities, as the country continues its fight against Al-Shabaab and works to stabilise long-affected regions.