Across HALO's projects in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, women are stepping into leadership roles in weapons and ammunition management (WAM), driving change and contributing to safer futures. Through the Women Managing Weapons initiative, three women from these projects have received specialised technical training to strengthen their skills and amplify their impact. Their stories reflect the power of opportunity in a sector which women have been traditionally underrepresented.
With support from the Government of Canada, HALO's Women Managing Weapons initiative has expanded opportunities for women's meaningful engagement in the sector. Through technical training, leadership development, and mentorship, women are gaining the skills and confidence to take on key roles in reducing the impact of uncontrolled weapon stockpiles.
Here's what Deysi, María and Lisseth had to say about what this training has meant to them.
"Thanks to that course, I was able to gain knowledge in weapons management, to strengthen the capacities of national institutions to increase the country's security."
Deysi joined HALO's El Salvador project in 2020 and was appointed Project Manager three years later. In 2023, she participated in HALO's WAM project managers training course, which deepened her understanding of weapons management and its role in strengthening national and regional security.
She says the training helped her work more effectively with stakeholders, donors, beneficiaries, and organisations in the arms and ammunition field, and she emphasised the importance of women's participation in WAM, saying: "I encourage women who have the opportunity to participate in training to do so, as this can open doors and opportunities in the field of weapons and ammunition management."
"It's important to create spaces for women to be trained in this masculinised field. Not just so they can participate, but because women can bring new perspectives to the management of weapons and ammunition, contributing to building a more sustainable and secure future."
María, a Spanish national with years of experience in program management across Latin America, joined HALO as Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer in 2023 to ensure measurable and sustainable results of HALO's WAM work.
She recently participated in an armourers course in Malawi, delivered by HALO to members of the Malawian Defence Force.
For María, this was a unique opportunity. While she has worked with international NGOs for many years, this was her first time engaging in technical training related to arms control. She also reflected on how the training deepened her understanding of how HALO's operations contribute to the prevention of armed violence.
"The participation of women in arms and ammunition management is crucial for social peace and the reduction of armed violence. The implications of arms management for different demographic groups, especially women, are key to more effective intervention."
Lisseth joined HALO's MEAL team in January 2024. She recently completed the Armoury Storekeeper and Armoury Store Manager course in Guatemala. She reflected that she can directly apply her newly acquired technical and strategic knowledge within her day-to-day work: "I found the courses fascinating as a technical introduction. The trainers were very aware of the diversity of prior skills and knowledge, which made learning accessible to everyone."
For Lisseth, these spaces not only build technical capacity but also deepen women's commitment to building safer communities.
