SecurityWomen: Annual Report
September 2023 - August 2024
Welcome to SecurityWomen’s Annual Report 2024, which gives an account of the work and achievements of the charity, the challenges, and our vision for a better future.
SecurityWomen (SW) gained UK charitable status as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in October 2016. The Registration Number is 1169486.
The registered address is:
70 Lexington, 40 City Road, London EC1Y 2AN
Our trustees are:
Barbara Cleary – Chair
David Chitty - Financial Trustee
Kurt Eyre
James Geer
Rachel Grimes MBE
Carolyn Hall MBE
Terri McNerney
Ulrike Theuerkauf
SecurityWomen is also registered in the United States of America since January 2018, with a board of directors as a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation (EIN 82-4491639).
Mission and Purpose
SW is an advocacy and research organisation which seeks women’s greater participation in all aspects of the security sector – policing, defence forces, UN peacekeeping, private security and cyber-security – on a global basis, in what is a very male dominated environment. The premise is that a better security for all is achieved when the makeup of security personnel reflects the composition of society. A greater gender balance may also help deter violence and escalation to conflict.
SW operates on an educational basis and aims to provide information relating to, and promote awareness of, gender equality in the security sector to the public and private sectors, government and the wider community. This is done through gathering of
information from around the world, publicising through the SW website (htps://www.securitywomen.org), social media, and other media events and platforms.
SW aims to highlight the importance of women’s rights within this sector which has extreme occupational segregation of women and men. SW also carries out evidence-based research into, and monitors, the state of gender equality in security sector organisations, both statesponsored and in private security.
Actvites and Achievements
There have been several SW events organised this year and a lot of activity. The following are key events:
In October 2023, SW held its second conference, entitled ‘How should Women be involved in Security Reform to ensure better societal outcomes?’ (the first being in 2019). We were fortunate to get sponsorship for this from the Network for Social Change and Qinetiq. This time the venue was the Conduit Club in Covent Garden, London. It was fully hybrid and had an in-person audience of around 80 people.
The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary, opened the Conference and referred to the many courageous women who have contributed to security and intelligence work. She acknowledged women in positions of leadership in security and policing services in the UK, “recognising equality and equal respect is at the heart of our democracy”.
Panel discussions were held on UN Peacekeeping and Police Reform, and a third Panel on the War in Ukraine which focused on the gender dynamics surrounding conflict. The Conference was applauded for its excellent content and presentations and its networking Events. opportunities. The videos are available for viewing:
Our next event took place virtually and during the UN Commission on the Status of Women on 19 March 2024. Its title was ‘The Role of Women in National and International Security leading to poverty alleviation’ and was moderated as a fireside chat by SW’s Chair of Trustees. The two participants were:
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Rebecca Ulam Weiner, Deputy Commissioner, Intelligence & Counterterrorism at New York City Police Department
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Jacqueline Acker, Deputy Privacy and Civil Liberties Officer, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
This was a dynamic and informative session, and the recording is on the website (Events).
In May 2024, SW attended the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Vienna for the first time. We held a virtual event entitled ‘Empowering Women in Policing, Forensics and Specialised Units in combating Organised Crime’. Our speakers were from Southern Africa: with extensive experience in policing forensics.
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SW joined the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice as a member and UN Crime is looking forward to engaging and contributing as we move towards the 15[th] Congress in 2026.
In February 2024, Kingston University invited SW to give a lecture in a Criminology & Sociology course module for first year students and talk about the background to SecurityWomen, its mission and objectives. In addition, SW was invited to speak and participate in the Kingston University Human Rights Festival.
In January 2024, SW was invited to take part in a podcast with Kommandonaiset (“commando women”) a Finnish organisation, recently founded by Saara Kevela. The conversation was wide-ranging from why women should be equal partners in the protection and security of citizens to what Finland can do in strengthening women’s participation. The background to this discussion was Finland becoming a new NATO member.
We were approached by the Liberian female law enforcement association to collaborate, and we look forward to organising future events with them.
A meeting was held with Cheryl Hendricks at the South African Institute of Justice and Reconciliation and a discussion on the work to develop the South African National Action UNSCR 1325 and Plan on Women Peace and Security (NAP). SW has a section on its website ( Natonal Acton Plans (NAP) | SecurityWomen) and commentary on the 100+ countries that have produced NAPs in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
For the UN International Day of Peacekeepers, the Chair of SW moderated a panel discussion at RUSI in Whitehall, London, as part of the Peacekeepers Conference organised by UNA Westminster. The panel comprising Lt Col Sophie Gregory, UK Army Reserves, and Col Dr Manal Abu Al Ghanam, Director of Military Women’s Affairs, Jordanian Armed Forces, shared their stories and experience which lead to an inspiring discussion on the critical importance of gender issues in peacekeeping and the vital role of women peacekeepers.
A visit to Shrivenham, the UK Defence Academy, was undertaken, meeting up with Colonel Lucy Giles who very kindly showed us around the site and answered all our questions. We look forward to working with Lucy and the Defence Academy in the future.
SW continued to be an active member of GAPS (Gender Action for Peace and Security) UK and is part of the Policy Working Group making contributions to the shadow report on the UK NAP (National Action Plan). SW has participated in virtual and in-person meetings, as well as meetings of the APPG on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).
SW attended ISC East - the International Security Conference & Exposition – in New York in November 2023. As well as being informative and useful for networking, it was an opportunity to meet with representatives of WIIS NY.
Whilst in New York, SW had meetings with the IPI (International Peace Institute) and Phoebe Donnelly who is the lead for Women Peace and Security. Other meetings with
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representatives from country missions to the UN and UN bodies, such as DPO (Department of Peace Operations) and UN Women took place.
Research
In Sept 2023, SW embarked on a research project in collaboration with the University of East Anglia (UEA), following success in gaining funding from the British Academy to run a series of workshops to act as a scoping exercise for the research project on Perceptions of Women in Armed Forces in the UK, Ukraine and Colombia in a cross-country comparison. A Ukrainian academic, resident in the UK, organised the workshops which took place at the University and online during 2024.
During the year, SW started a new research project exploring the role of Women-only Police Stations. We were supported in doing this work by a UEA student on his university placement. The work progressed to the point of producing a concept note and survey to be used in a pilot study in India.
This was SW’s first student placement with the University and through its success, we will endeavour to take on more students in coming years.
Personnel
As stated, SW is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. It has an Executive Director, Dr Juliet Colman and together with SW Chair, Barbara Cleary, we are extremely fortunate to have a team of well-qualified and enthusiastic volunteers and research associates:
We are most grateful for all the hard work of our research associates from different countries around the world:
Alice Macleod Augustine Aboh Yumna Azeez Rebecca Manson Natasha Chavez Yegana Mammadova Casey Diepeveen Florina-Marieta Neagu Woraphat Ditpan Laura Mitton Caroline Pinder Asia Donati Styliani Eleftheriadou Stepanka Stastnikova Mercedes Galeano Laura-Jane Watkins Winnie Gatsinzi Wes Widjonarko Millie Hood Stephanie Wild Cheryl Illingworth
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SW holds a virtual team meeting once a month at a time when most research associates can attend. The guidance notes for SW and minutes of meetings are held on a Google drive for research associates to access.
Next steps
SW will aim to secure funding to establish proper resource for on-going work on website/app/social media maintenance, and for proposed research projects. SW will carry out its strategic plan and aim to organise another Conference in 2025.
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Juliet A Colman
Director, SecurityWomen August 2024
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| Charity Name No (if any) SecurityWomen 1169486 Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date To Period end date 01/092023 8/31/2024 For the period from ~~es~~ |
Charity Name No (if any) SecurityWomen 1169486 Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date To Period end date 01/092023 8/31/2024 For the period from ~~es~~ |
Charity Name No (if any) SecurityWomen 1169486 Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date To Period end date 01/092023 8/31/2024 For the period from ~~es~~ |
Charity Name No (if any) SecurityWomen 1169486 Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date To Period end date 01/092023 8/31/2024 For the period from ~~es~~ |
Charity Name No (if any) SecurityWomen 1169486 Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date To Period end date 01/092023 8/31/2024 For the period from ~~es~~ |
Charity Name No (if any) SecurityWomen 1169486 Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date To Period end date 01/092023 8/31/2024 For the period from ~~es~~ |
Charity Name No (if any) SecurityWomen 1169486 Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date To Period end date 01/092023 8/31/2024 For the period from ~~es~~ |
Charity Name No (if any) SecurityWomen 1169486 Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date To Period end date 01/092023 8/31/2024 For the period from ~~es~~ |
CC16a ~~7~~ |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||||
| to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||||
| A1 Receipts | |||||||||||
| Reimbursement ofpriorperiod expenses | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Fundingfromgovernments | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| VoluntaryReceipts | 10,000 | 9,203 | - | 19,203 | 28 | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | (Gross income for AR) | 10,000 | 9,203 | - | 19,203 | 28 | |||||
| - - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total receipts 10,000 9,203 - 19,203 28 A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). ~~—————~~ |
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| A3 Payments | |||||||||||
| Project expenditure | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| SW Conference | 1,456 | 9,203 | - | 10,659 | 1,600 | ||||||
| Administration of charitable activities | 954 | - | - | 954 | 2,594 | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| **Sub total ** | 2,410 | 9,203 | - | 11,613 | 4,194 | ||||||
| - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total payments 2,410 9,203 - 11,613 4,194 A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) ~~—————~~ |
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| **Net of receipts/(payments) ** | 7,590 | - | - | 7,590 | - 4,166 | ||||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | 6,238 | - | - | 6,238 | 10,404 | ||||||
| **Cash funds this year end ** | 13,828 | - | - | 13,828 | 6,238 |
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Restricted |
Endowment | |||
| Categories | Details | funds funds |
funds | |
| to nearest £ to nearest £ |
to nearest £ | |||
| B1 Cash funds | Current account 13,828 - - - - - - - - 13,828 - - Total cash funds ~~—====~~ |
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| (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
OK OK (agree balances with receipts and payments |
OK | ||
| Unrestricted Restricted |
Endowment | |||
| funds funds |
funds | |||
| Details | to nearest £ to nearest £ |
to nearest £ | ||
| B2 Other monetary assets | N/A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~——==~~ |
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| Details | Cost (optional) Fund to which asset belongs |
Current value (optional) |
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| B3 Investment assets | N/A - - - - - - - - - - ~~nee~~ |
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| Details | Cost (optional) Fund to which asset belongs |
Current value (optional) |
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| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
N/A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~oe~~ |
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| Fund to which Amount due |
When due | |||
| Details | liability relates (optional) |
(optional) | ||
| B5 Liabilities Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
N/A - - - - - Signature Print Name Barbara Cleary 5/31/2025 Date of approval ~~——=~~ |