"The WPS initiative is a longstanding effort of the U.S. government to meet our partners and have them understand what leadership from a different gender perspective means. Putting women at the table was one thing, putting women to lead those problems is another thing. The type of solutions you get when you open up the aperture and you open up the environment to understand things from a different perspective is one that the U.S. wants to lead on, and the WPS initiative and strategy is one of the ways we do that."

- Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs Chidi Blyden, during an Aug. 2-5 visit to the command

WATCH: U.S. Africa Command and partner voices on Women, Peace, and Security

• Part I: Ambassador Andrew Young
• Part II: Lt. Col. Chelsea Payne
• Part III: Rear Adm. Heidi Berg
• Part IV: Ms. Sheila Roquitte
• Part V: Sgt. Maj. Richard Thresher
• Chidi Blyden, deputy assistant secretary of defense for african affairs

The Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 was signed into U.S. law in October of that year. However, since 2011 U.S. Africa Command has worked to integrate the Women, Peace, and Security mandate in its activities with African security forces. A vast body of evidence demonstrates unequivocally that women's meaningful contributions are critical to conflict prevention and resolution, peacebuilding and peacekeeping, disaster preparedness and recovery, and stability worldwide. 

U.S. Africa Command implements WPS legislation tenets by supporting defense institutions' inclusion of women in African partner defense forces; ensuring security cooperation activities include requirements to protect civilians, specifically women and girls; and helping develop training and accountability mechanisms within partner defense forces that establish professional standards of conduct and prevent sexual and gender-based violence.