Inclusive and responsive security in Jordan

Project Profile 

Introduction

This project, implemented with our partner Ark, supports Jordan’s national police force to establish a more inclusive and responsive security sector through the provision of a range of capacity building, training and mentoring support to the Public Security Directorate (PSD). The project activities are designed to support the PSD’s existing efforts to institutionalise the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to mainstream gender across its peace and security efforts.

Background

Creating an enabling environment and culture that enhance gender equality is a key goal of Jordan’s National Action Plan to implement UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

In support of this, the PSD’s Gender Mainstreaming Strategy aims to increase women’s participation in the security sector and in peace operations; provide more equitable access to resources, programs, and services; improve practical benefits for women; and progress gender equality.

In a world where women are increasingly used by terrorist organisations as combatants, implementing UNSCR 1325 must necessarily involve enhancing the capacity of female officers to respond to attacks and search female suspects, victims and civilians. It is also important that both male and female officers are able to provide medical support during tactical operations.

Previous iterations of the project made inroads into enhancing this capacity within the PSD. This action therefore builds on these earlier successes.

This project focuses on building up institutional awareness of gender mainstreaming by enabling the Gender Focal Points at the PSD’s Gender Unit to internally disseminate knowledge and understanding throughout the wider organisation. It also focuses on building resilience and sustainability into the PSD by training trainers within the organisation to deliver courses on ‘tactical firearms and search’ techniques and ‘tactical medic’ skills. The provision of English language training for female officers will additionally enable them to transition into positions of leadership as they move up the PSD and to qualify them to deploy on operations where English language competence is mandated.

  • PSD encourages meaningful participation in and leadership by female officers in line with national level strategies and initiatives
  • PSD takes an inclusive and gender-responsive approach to operational unit deployments to deal with female suspects, victims and civilians in tactical operations
  1. Mentoring of Jordanian-led training on tactical medical skills for PSD operational units and Training of Trainers (ToT)
  2. Mentoring of Jordanian-led training on tactical search and firearms for PSD operational units and a ToT for female instructors
  3. Provision of gender awareness training and mentoring support to the PSD Gender Unit and Gender Focal Points
  4. Provision of English language support and training in negotiation, mediation and dialogue facilitation in order to increase the capacity and skills of the PSD female cadre to participate in tactical and peacebuilding operations

Jordan

Global Affairs Canada

Public Security Directorate

August 2021 – March 2022

Ricky Maguire, Project Manager