In 2025, Somalia recorded improved civilian–police relations and strengthened institutional accountability through the Joint Police Programme Phase II (JPP II), anchored in the New Policing Model and supported by the European Union and the United Kingdom. These gains were driven in part by a more preventive approach to safety, including the establishment of 10 Local Police Partnership Boards nationwide and the empowerment of nearly 3,000 police officers and community members through enhanced training and support. The programme has promoted professionalism, human rights, and gender equality, contributing to measurable increases in public confidence as reflected in district-level perception surveys.

Women’s inclusion has been a central pillar of JPP II’s implementation. More than 578 participants, most of them women, took part in gender equality workshops and public forums designed to strengthen women’s recruitment, leadership, and retention within the police service. Through inclusive platforms such as the Local Police Partnership Boards, women are actively engaged alongside police officers, community elders, youth, and civil society to identify safety concerns, prevent crime, and enhance accountability, helping shift security delivery from reaction to prevention and from distance to dialogue.

As the programme enters its final year, partners have underscored the importance of consolidating these advances to ensure a lasting legacy for inclusive and professional policing. The JPP Steering Committee endorsed plans to expand training and capacity-building activities in 2026, with a continued focus on integrity, transparency, and responsibility to communities. By embedding gender equality within institutional reform and community policing, JPP II is demonstrating how women’s meaningful participation strengthens trust, improves public safety, and contributes to sustainable peace and security in Somalia.

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