Women have become an increasingly visible presence in Ghana’s Security Services, serving with dedication across the Police Service, Armed Forces and Immigration Service.
In recent years, a small number of women have been promoted into senior roles, signalling gradual progress. However, women remain significantly underrepresented in top leadership positions.
This study by Ummu Markwei, Esther Julia Attiogbe, Abena Asomaning Antwi, and Georgina Korkor Boafo offers important insights into the structural and cultural factors that have shaped women’s leadership experiences in the Security Services.
It is important to note that the study was conducted prior to some of these recent promotions.
As such, its findings reflect an earlier period, but they remain highly relevant for understanding the long-standing barriers women have faced and for informing ongoing reforms.
Pathways to leadership
The study draws on in-depth interviews with female officers in middle and senior leadership positions and highlights the deliberate strategies women used to advance in male-dominated institutions. Three key factors supported their progression:
Education and professional development: Most participants possessed advanced academic or professional qualifications.
Continuous education emerged as a critical pathway for promotion within rank-based security institutions.
Strong work ethic: Participants emphasised consistent performance, commitment, and visibility as essential for recognition.
Many described putting in additional effort to demonstrate competence and leadership capability.
Personal motivation and aspiration: A strong desire to contribute at higher decision-making levels motivated women to work hard to pursue leadership roles, even when opportunities were limited.
These findings suggest that when women are supported to develop their skills and ambitions, they are well-positioned to succeed in leadership roles.
Challenges
Despite individual achievements, the study identified several challenges that constrained women’s advancement and shaped their leadership experiences:
Unequal access to opportunities: Some participants reported limited access to key training, operational roles, or leadership pathways, which affected their career progression.
Cultural expectations and perceptions: Persistent social norms often frame leadership as a male role, requiring women leaders to work harder to establish authority and credibility.
Pregnancy and career progression: Institutional policies related to pregnancy and childbirth were identified as constraints, particularly where they disproportionately affected women’s advancement.
Work–family balance: The demanding nature of security work made balancing leadership responsibilities and family life especially challenging for many participants.
While recent promotions suggest that progress is being made, these challenges highlight why advancement has historically been slow and uneven.
Reflection
The study emphasises that women’s leadership is not only an issue of fairness but also of institutional effectiveness.
Security institutions that draw on diverse leadership perspectives are better positioned to respond to complex operational, social, and organisational challenges.
Building on both the study’s findings and recent signs of progress, the authors recommend continued and deliberate action, including:
Strengthening transparent and non-discriminatory promotion practices; expanding leadership training, mentorship, and sponsorship for women; reviewing policies related to pregnancy, childcare, and work–family balance and promoting gender-sensitive workplace cultures across security institutions.
These measures would help ensure that recent gains are sustained and expanded.
Women in Ghana’s security services have demonstrated commitment, resilience, and leadership capability.
While recent promotions indicate positive movement, long-term progress depends on sustained institutional reforms.
By overcoming obstacles and building on existing progress, Ghana’s security services can enhance their leadership frameworks to better embody professionalism and inclusivity.
This can be achieved through targeted policies promoting gender equality and providing equal opportunities for all members.
The writer is a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department, Business Administration
University of Professional Studies, Accra.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh