LocationsPartnerships Driving Progress Toward Gender-Responsive Infrastructure
Construction of Gender-Responsive Police Facility to Empower Women in Peacekeeping Gains Momentum
October 20, 2025
Aerial view of the women’s accommodation blocks taking shape at the Geoffrey Mukuma Training Centre (Sondela). Once complete, the facility will house 40 female officers, providing a safe and inclusive environment for training and deployment.
Photo by: Jabbes Banda/UNDP Zambia
In a historic moment for Zambia’s peace and security sector, the Government of Zambia, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF) as funder, and the Government of Canada, officially broke ground on a Women’s Accommodation and Daycare Facility at the Zambia Police Service’s (ZPS) Geoffrey Mukuma Training Centre (Sondela) in Kafue on 8 April 2025.
Five months later, the infrastructure is no longer just a vision; it is rising from the ground. The facility is steadily progressing toward completion, with walls, window frames and essential utilities now under construction. This milestone demonstrates Zambia’s commitment to dismantling barriers that have long held women back from full participation in peacekeeping.
On 3 September 2025, partners returned to Sondela to witness how the vision laid in April is steadily becoming reality. Representatives from UNDP, the Government of Canada, the Gender Division and the Infrastructure Department joined ZPS on a site visit, where brick by brick, equality is taking form. With walls rising and structures firmly in place, the Women’s Accommodation and Daycare Facility, supported by the Elsie Initiative Fund is no longer just a plan on paper, it is a tangible step toward removing barriers and creating safe spaces for women in uniform to train, serve and lead.
Aerial view of key stakeholders from the Zambia Police Service, the Government of Canada, the Gender Division, the Infrastructure Department and UNDP inspecting progress at the construction site of the Women’s Accommodation and Daycare Facility in Sondela, Kafue.
Photo by: Jabbes Banda/UNDP Zambia
“Today’s progress is not just about a building, it is about transformation,” said James Wakiaga (PhD), UNDP Resident Representative at the groundbreaking ceremony. “This facility is becoming a living symbol of our shared vision for an inclusive and equitable security sector.”
Despite growing recognition of the value women bring to peace operations, their participation remains disproportionately low. In Zambia, structural challenges such as inadequate housing, lack of childcare, limited mentorship and social expectations around caregiving have stood in the way.
“Before the Elsie Initiative Fund, it felt like a gamble,” recalls Matinda Mvula, one of Zambia’s female peacekeepers deployed to South Sudan in 2023. “There was no dedicated support for mothers. If you were lactating, you simply couldn’t go.”
Mvula, who was among the first women trained under the Empowering Women in Peacekeeping Operations Project, continues to view the project as a game-changer. “Now, even if I have a six-month-old baby, I can come to train. I can breastfeed during breaks, and I no longer have to choose between motherhood and mission.”
The facility directly responds to findings from the Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operations (MOWIP) assessment, which identified the absence of gender-responsive infrastructure as a major obstacle to women’s participation. Once complete, it will include accommodation for 40 female officers, a childcare centre for up to 15 children under 10, and supportive spaces where mothers can rest, train, and breastfeed.
Speaking on behalf of Ms. Deborah Warren-Smith, Manager of the Elsie Initiative Fund, UNDP Resident Representative Dr. James Wakiaga conveyed her message of support. Ms. Warren-Smith expressed her appreciation that the Fund has been able to back this milestone through both financial and technical assistance, provided in partnership with UNDP and the Zambia Police Service.
She recalled that, following the MOWIP assessment, conducted under the DCAF MOWIP pilot project funded by Canada and Norway, UNDP and the ZPS jointly applied to the Elsie Initiative Fund to address some of the high and medium barriers identified. Among these were the lack of adequate facilities to meet the specific needs of women, such as dedicated accommodation and childcare, which are essential for enabling women police officers to fully prepare for deployment to peace operations.
Approved for EIF funding in February 2022, the project was designed with these priorities at its core. While several activities have already commenced or been successfully implemented, Ms. Warren-Smith highlighted that the groundbreaking marked an important step forward in constructing dedicated accommodation and childcare facilities. She also commended the Government of Zambia for its strong commitment, including co-financing the project and ensuring its long-term sustainability through budget allocations for staffing, maintenance and operations.
“The Elsie Initiative Fund commends the Zambia Police Service and UNDP for their continued leadership and commitment to institutional progress,” her message read. “Today’s ceremony reflects a shared commitment between the Zambia Police Service, Canada and UNDP to advancing gender equality in peace operations and building the foundations for a more inclusive and representative future.”
Sergeant Lungu Penjani, a civil engineer with the Zambia Police Service, measures progress at the construction site, exemplifying dedication and technical expertise in building community infrastructure by female officers.
Photo by: Jabbes Banda/UNDP Zambia
Sergeant Lungu Penjani, a civil engineer with the Zambia Police Service and part of the technical team supervising construction, shared her sense of pride:
“This project came at the right time. Being part of building a space for women makes me want to contribute even more, to go for peacekeeping, and to lead by example.”
The initiative builds on a long-standing partnership between UNDP and the Zambia Police Service, which has focused on strengthening community policing, improving transparency, supporting the Victim Support Unit in responding to gender-based violence, and advancing gender equality reforms.
“Through the Elsie Initiative, we are supporting institutional transformation,” Dr. Wakiaga emphasized. “Our goal is to ensure that security institutions reflect the diversity and dignity of the communities they serve.”
Laying the foundation for progress: Key stakeholders, including Zambia Police Personnel, government officials and development partners, participate in the groundbreaking ceremony of a new infrastructure project, symbolizing commitment to institutional strengthening and community resilience.
Photo by: Jabbes Banda/UNDP Zambia
With construction well underway, the Government of Zambia has committed to sustaining the facility through national budgets for staffing, maintenance and operations. The Women’s Accommodation and Daycare Facility is planned to be officially launched at the end of 2025, marking another milestone in Zambia’s leadership on women’s inclusion in peacekeeping. The site is also expected to evolve into a regional Centre of Excellence promoting women’s participation in peace operations.
“This is not just for Zambia,” Mvula stressed. “We’re ready for others to come and benchmark with us. We’ve walked this journey, and we’re ready to walk with others.”
The Women’s Accommodation and Daycare Facility is now standing as more than an idea, it is a structure taking shape, a milestone in the fight for gender equality in peacekeeping, and a testament to Zambia’s leadership in making the security sector work for everyone.
“Let us sustain this vision,” Dr. Wakiaga concluded. “Let it continue to inspire, empower, and transform the lives of women in uniform, today and for generations to come.”