Breaking “Sticky Floors” and “Glass Ceilings” for Women in Border Management

“Sticky floors,” “glass ceilings,” and “glass cliffs” are commonly used terms to illustrate the challenges women face in the workplace, representing barriers to career progression.  

One example of gender gaps in the workplace can be seen in training, where women often encounter difficulties accessing the same training opportunities as their male counterparts. This barrier limits women’s ability to apply for positions that would lead to promotions, again resulting in a slower career trajectory than their male peers. 

Creating an even playing field for women at work will be essential to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) on gender equality. However, despite progress, the world is not on track to achieve SDG 5 by 2030. The United Nations estimates that at the current rate, it would take 140 years to achieve equal representation in leadership in the workplace.

Recognizing this reality, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Border Management Branch (BMB) has intensified its efforts to support women professionals globally. By providing technical assistance on border management, from leadership training to institutional framework reviews and more, that are tailored for women. 

BMB has measured significant progress. One recent survey by BMB’s Passenger and Cargo Border Team (PCBT) found that 79 per cent of female respondents felt that they now have equal opportunities to participate in training and development programmes at their workplace. Four years ago, this percentage was significantly lower.

In interviews, two senior women in the Western African region, who have participated in the PCBT’s Airport Communication Programme (AIRCOP) over several years, emphasized the impact the UNODC training has had on their careers.

Ms. Flavienne Yelome Hauitonon, Head of the AIRCOP Joint Interdiction Task Force (JAITF) of Benin, has participated in specialized training on high profile passenger targeting, risk analysis, targeting of mail and cargo, management, and more.

“These trainings enabled me to effectively lead my team, raise awareness on ethics and integrity, lead missions to intercept traffickers, encourage colleagues, and understand how to listen to them,” she says. “The courses have helped me to become more professional and obtain a broader understanding of the different methods used by traffickers.”   

Similarly, Ms. Aissata Cissé, recently retired Head of the JAITF of Mali, highlighted that “the impact of PCBT-AIRCOP has been a vital means for me to specialize in the fight against drugs, and have also helped me progress across various positions of responsibility within the JAITF.” 

When asked for leadership advice, Ms. Hauitonon emphasized the importance of listening to her team, treating all team members equally and assuming one’s role as an understanding yet firm leader in a stressful environment. Ms. Cissé advised to continued investing in training women in leadership, assigning female colleagues to roles of responsibility, and expanding modes of exchanges between women on various communication platforms.  

 

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*The Passenger and Cargo Border Team Gender Inclusion Survey is a survey organized by the PCBT. It is designed to gather feedback from unit and task force officers to comprehensively assess the level of gender equality within the Programme.