The Regional Service Centre Entebbe (RSCE) was bustling with purpose and energy last week as it welcomed an inspiring group of senior women professionals from across the globe for the Senior Women Talent Pipeline (SWTP) Induction Training.

Held from 23 to 27 June at the Regional Training and Conference Centre, the event brought together 19 accomplished women preparing for leadership roles in United Nations field operations. For five days, the participants engaged in a dynamic mix of strategic briefings, leadership coaching and peer reflection, all aimed at equipping them to take on senior roles in some of the world’s most complex environments.

“This week reminded me that I’m not alone in this journey,” said one participant. “We all come with different backgrounds, but the shared goal, to lead with purpose, is what brought us here.”

The SWTP, launched in 2014, is a career development programme that supports mid to senior-level women (P5 to D2) as they navigate the UN system. So far, more than 300 women have joined the pipeline, with 78 securing senior roles across peacekeeping and special political missions. The programme is funded through extra budgetary resources, with Denmark providing core support.

Participants explored topics ranging from the structure and mandates of UN missions to recruitment strategies, leading in high-pressure contexts, and maintaining mental resilience. The sessions were led by a lineup of distinguished facilitators including; Barrie Freeman, Megan Karsh, Lisa M. Buttenheim, Paulin Djomo and Moustapha Soumaré, who shared candid insights from their own leadership paths.

Leonard Zulu, UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda, joined a panel discussion on the evolving nature of UN field missions. He emphasized the importance of putting women at the center of peace operations, not as a symbolic gesture, but as a core strategy for effectiveness and inclusivity.

In his opening remarks, Paulin Djomo, Director of RSCE, welcomed the cohort with a message of solidarity: “Hosting the SWTP is always an honor for the Centre. It reflects our role not just as a service provider, but as a platform for building leadership, empowering networks, and shaping the future of the UN workforce.

Beyond the sessions, informal networking, and one-on-one career clinics gave the participants time to reflect, recharge, and connect on a personal level. A strong sense of community emerged, one that many described as “long overdue” in a system where senior women are still underrepresented in field leadership.

In a message of encouragement, Lisa M. Buttenheim, Assistant Secretary-General in the Department of Operational Support, summed it up: “We’ve made real progress. But more still needs to be done. This programme proves that with the right support, women don’t just join leadership, they transform it.”

As the UN continues working toward gender parity and inclusive leadership, the Senior Women Talent Pipeline stands as a powerful example of how to turn words into action, and how collective leadership can move the system forward.

For more information or to express interest in joining the SWTP, contact @ talentpipeline@un.org.This programme was funded through extra-budgetary contributions from the Government of Denmark.