The European Union, together with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), organized the first in-person workshop for women officers working at airports across West and Central Africa in May 2026. Implemented under the Airport Communication Project (AIRCOP VI) of the EU Global Threats Programme, the objective was to move from dialogue to action, strengthening women’s actual influence in airport security.
Women on the frontlines of airport security
This reflects a broader reality. Women officers operating at these airports play a critical role on the frontlines of regional and global security. As officers and team leaders, they contribute directly to detecting illicit commodities, disrupting transnational organised crime, and protecting vulnerable individuals. Working in specialised inter-agency units at airports, which are established with AIRCOP funding and fully integrated into the national security architecture, women represent 26 per cent of officers and 15 per cent of team leaders in the region, highlighting the need for continued efforts.
From dialogue to concrete outcomes
Building on the regional network in West and Central Africa established through the quarterly “Virtual Women Coffees” under AIRCOP, the workshop enabled women officers to develop concrete outputs, including recommendations to their leadership, a practical toolkit to support women’s operational impact, and a structured “From Presence to Influence” roadmap outlining key stages for strengthening influence across career paths.
As one participant reflected: “This workshop enabled me to become more aware of my value as a woman within an operational unit. I am leaving with a clearer vision of my role and stronger motivation to strengthen my voice in my daily work.”
The workshop reinforced mentorship as a central pillar of the initiative. The participation of former women officers who have progressed to senior roles brought practical insights, fostering peer support and guidance. This reflects the sustainability of the EU-supported approach, ensuring that experience and expertise continue to benefit the next generation of officers.
One officer described the workshop as “not just training - it is a space where you rediscover yourself, where you realize that your presence matters and that your impact can be far greater than you think.”
A personal commitment to security
For many women of the AIRCOP network, the fight against organised crime is deeply personal. As one officer explains, it means protecting vulnerable individuals, saving lives, and safeguarding the future. Another reflects on the often invisible nature of their work, where a single piece of intelligence can prevent harm the public may never see. At some of the world’s busiest transit points, their work forms a critical barrier between criminal networks and the communities they seek to exploit.
Beyond frontline operations, women in airport security continue to shape institutional progress. They contribute to stronger profiling techniques, improved inter-agency cooperation, and more effective intelligence-sharing. Their leadership fosters collaborative team dynamics and reinforces trust between law enforcement and the public.
As participants emphasized throughout the workshop, the Women of AIRCOP Network represents “a collective strength, a space of professional sisterhood where every woman becomes an essential link in the fight against illicit trafficking.”
By advocating for inclusive approaches, they help embed equality into operational structures rather than treating it as an afterthought. Their daily work aims to show the next generation that potential is not defined by stereotypes, but by dedication, integrity and resilience, all of which help to make airports safer for everyone.
Project background
AIRCOP is implemented under the EU Global Threats programme, funded by the European Union.
Implemented by the UNODC Passenger and Cargo Control Programme (PCCP), the World Customs Organization (WCO) and INTERPOL, AIRCOP aims to strengthen the capacities of international airports to detect and intercept drugs, other illicit goods and high-risk passengers and to share real-time operational information between origin, transit and destination countries to disrupt cross-border illicit flows and criminal networks.