SecurityWomen: Annual Report
September 2024 - August 2025
Welcome to SecurityWomen’s Annual Report 2025, 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
Suzanne Concannon - Financial Trustee
Kurt Eyre
Lt Col (Rtd) Rachel Grimes MBE
Ed Humpherson
Terri McNerney
James Geer - legal advisor and Associate Trustee
SecurityWomen is registered as a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation (EIN 82-4491639) in the US (since January 2018). The UK Board and US Board (Celisa Lehew and Ronald Risdon) meet jointly.
During the year we said goodbye to Carolyn Hall who has been a valued trustee since the inception of SecurityWomen, and David Chitty, previously our financial trustee. Ulrike Theuerkauf has stepped down temporarily over potential conflicts of interest regarding a joint research project with the University of East Anglia. We look forward to welcoming Uli back.
Thanks are given to Joy Lall, Nicole Lefort and Brenda Oppermann, our US colleagues who served on the US Board of Directors and stepped down during the year.
Work was carried out on a 5-year strategic work plan which was agreed by the Board at the beginning of 2025.
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
In September 2024, SW organised a virtual event at the UN Summit of the Future. It was entitled: ‘A Key to Peace: More Women in Peacekeeping’. The recording of this event is on the SW website.
In October, SW attended the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Boston USA. It provided an opportunity to network and for trustees and research associates to meet in person.
SW also attended the launch of the groundbreaking UN report ‘Equal Opportunities for Women in the Defence Sector’ at the German Mission to the UN in New York which highlighted research undertaken showing the imperative of gender equality for peace and security outcomes, yet the continuing barriers that women face to their recruitment, retention and career development at all levels in security institutions. There was a panel of inspiring female military leaders and UN videos – part of the UN campaign ‘Breaking Barriers, Building Peace’.
SW’s Director gave a talk to Master’s students at the University of New York in October 2024, entitled ‘Why the UN needs a feminist woman Secretary-General’.
In the same month, the International Peace Institute (IPI) held its Gender and Peace Operations Research Conference in which SW actively participated.
At an informal dialogue with Ms Waly, UNODC Executive Director, SW was able to ask the following question: What are your successes in achieving greater gender equality in the defence and security sector? Her response was positive and supportive of women’s greater participation in security and defence.
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In May 2025, SW held a hybrid panel event in partnership with the Philippines, at the UNODC’s 34[th] Commission on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice in Vienna. The topic was around the Challenges, Opportunities and Experiences for Women in Policing working in the Digital Age.
In June 2025, SW attended a London conference entitled ‘Climate destabilisation and Security’ organised by RUSI and TMP.
SW participated in an FCDO consultation on the 25[th] anniversary of UN SCR 1325 in London. This was followed a few weeks later by an MOD consultation on the same topic and looking at the UK’s National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security.
In July 2025, SW’s director was invited to participate in a roundtable event entitled Geopolitics and Women Peace and Security organised by the Centre for Geopolitics at the University of Cambridge.
Also in July, SW, together with Dr Georgina Holmes from the Open University, organised a Workshop: ‘Enhancing the Recruitment and Retention of Women in the UK Armed Forces’ with the MOD in Whitehall, London. This was organised in light of the recent Strategic Defence Review and the long-standing challenges in personnel recruitment. A summary report was shared with the MOD.
Another area in which SW has become active is looking at Clothing and Armour Fit Issues in Defence and Security Forces. SW contributed to a survey by the British Standards Institute and was invited to contribute to discussions and podcasts on inclusive protective clothing run by the PCIAW (Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide).
This year, we have undertaken extensive work to update and progress the National Action Plans (NAPs) for WPS. Also, we have updated our data sources on the website for monitoring purposes.
Research
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Further to a series of workshops held last year to scope out the research remit, our research project, ‘ Perceptions of Women in Armed Forces in the UK, Ukraine and Colombia in a cross-country comparison ’ in collaboration with the University of East Anglia (UEA) has evolved and we are now waiting for news of a funding bid.
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Building on the work carried out last year by our UEA intern, Woraphat Ditpan, we have continued to work on the role of Women-only Police Stations (WoPS), in particular, how female police officers’ careers are advanced and impacted by working in WoPS. We have partnered with the Red Dot Foundation and the SGT University, Haryana, to assist in carrying out the pilot study.
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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 bringing different perspectives from various countries around the world:
Augustine Aboh Vivian Chang Yumna Azeez Rebecca Manson Natasha Chavez Florina-Marieta Neagu Jolie Pont Laura Mitton Asia Donati Caroline Pinder Mercedes Galeano Stepanka Stastnikova Winnie Gatsinzi Laura-Jane Watkins Cheryl Illingworth Stephanie Wild Nenpo Adelabu Tanvi Joglekar Henry Coker Joy Tumwebaze Nolliettie Chihana Isabelle Regent Lucy Ramsden
Two students at the University of East Anglia were given internships: Phoebe Nicholls and Natalie Griffin and they remain with us as research associates.
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.
In March 2025, Dr Georgina Holmes from the Open University gave a presentation to the research associates and trustees on her research into UN peacekeeping and the training undertaken by UK troops.
An exciting new development is through Winnie Gatsinzi who, together with Joy Tumwebaze, have expressed a wish to establish a SecurityWomen Chapter in Rwanda. Much work needs to be undertaken to register the organization in Rwanda, creating its website and building partnerships. We look forward to launching the new Chapter in 2026.
Next steps
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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 organise a series of events 2025/6. As mentioned, we will continue to strengthen and build capacity to do more and launch our first African chapter.
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 2025
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| Charity Name | No (if any) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SecurityWomen | 1169486 | |||
| Receipts andpayments accounts | CC16a | |||
| For the period from |
Period start date 01/09/2024 |
Period end date To 31/08/2025 |
Section A Receipts and payments
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 10,061 - - - - 10,061 - - - 10,061 - 1,147 - - - - - - 1,147 - - - 1,147 8,914 - ~~13,828~~ 22,742 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~-~~ - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~-~~ - |
Total funds to the nearest £ - - 10,061 - - - - - 10,061 - - - 10,061 - - 1,147 - - - - - - 1,147 - - - 1,147 8,914 |
Total funds to the nearest £ - - 10,061 - - - - - 10,061 - - - 10,061 - - 1,147 - - - - - - 1,147 - - - 1,147 8,914 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reimbursement ofpriorperiod expenses | - | |||||
| Fundingfromgovernments | - | |||||
| VoluntaryReceipts | 10,061 | 19,203 | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| ~~Sub total~~~~(Gross income for~~ AR) |
10,061 |
19,203 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| ~~Sub total~~ | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||
| 19,203 | ||||||
Project expenditure |
- | - | ||||
| SW Conference | 10,659 | |||||
| Administration of charitable activities | 1,147 | 954 | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 1,147 | 11,613 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| 11,613 | ||||||
| 8,914 | - | - | 8,914 |
7,590 | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| ~~13,828~~ | ~~-~~ | ~~-~~ | ~~13,828~~ | ~~6,238~~ | ||
| 22,742 | - | - | 22,742 | 13,828 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
21/05/2026
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds |
Details N/A Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) N/A Current account Details Details N/A Details N/A Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 22,742 - - - - 22,742 - OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name Barbara Cleary |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
| Barbara Cleary | 31/05/2026 | ||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
21/05/2026
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