The fourth round of the CSDP Mentoring Programme on Leadership for Women has concluded after nine months of structured professional development, peer learning, and mentorship. 

The programme brought together 18 mentors and 18 mentees from nine civilian CSDP missions, pairing experienced professionals with aspiring women leaders working in the unique context of civilian crisis management. Through targeted support, the programme aimed to strengthen leadership capacity and promote inclusive leadership within missions. 

What did the 2025 programme include? 

Building on lessons learned from previous rounds, the 2025 programme combined individual mentorship with collective learning and reflection. Key components included: 

• Thematic workshops on leadership topics such as Creating Psychological Safety in Teams, Leading with Authenticity, and Managing Difficult Conversations; 

• Regular one-to-one meetings between mentor-mentee pairs, aligned with individual mentoring goals outlined in the mentoring agreement;  

• Separate mentor and mentee check-ins to support progress and address challenges; 

• Ongoing coordination and support from the CoE / European External Actions Service (EEAS) mentoring programme team. 

Designed specifically for the realities of mission work, the programme provided a structured but flexible framework that allowed participants to reflect on leadership challenges in their daily professional environments in a way that was productive for them. 

How does this contribute to the CSDP?  

Low women’s participation remains a recognised challenge within civilian CSDP missions and civilian crisis management more broadly. Addressing this gap is a core commitment under the Civilian CSDP Compact, which includes a target of 40% women in international staff. 

The mentoring programme is a key initiative supporting this commitment. It combines individual leadership development with understanding of the issues of organisational culture, bias, and which currently limit women’s involvement. Through this, the programme aims to limit the impact of these creating conditions that enable women to enter, remain, and progress within CSDP missions. 

In doing so, it contributes directly to the implementation of the CSDP Compact and the broader Women, Peace and Security agenda. 

Final session and reflections 

The programme concluded with a final session featuring opening remarks by Johanna Sumuvuori, CoE Director, followed by an interview with Kirsi Henriksson, Deputy Civilian Operations Commander at the EEAS Civilian Operations Headquarters.  

During the discussion, Kirsi shared reflections from her extensive leadership experience in civilian CSDP, responding to questions asked by Ms Corina Zavate, Head of Sector at the CoE. 

In her opening remarks, Johanna reflected on key milestones of the mentoring programme, noting that since its inception, 141 mentors and mentees have participated across 12 civilian CSDP missions,demonstrating the programme’s sustained reach and engagement with missions over time.  

She highlighted the programme as a strong example of effective cooperation between the CoE and the EEAS, demonstrating how, alongside its primary work with member states, the CoE can also impact civilian CSDP missions directly to deliver tangible results on the ground. 

During the interview, Kirsi Henriksson, reflected on leadership, inclusion, and the structural challenges facing civilian CSDP. 

Drawing on her experience as a former Head of Mission, Kirsi emphasised the importance of self-reflective leadership, highlighting the need for trust, and active listening in the complex, rapidly evolving, and politically sensitive environments of missions. 

Kirsi underlined the need to rethink recruitment practices, value diverse professional backgrounds, and work more closely with Member States to broaden candidate pools. 

Looking ahead, she stressed that future mission leaders will need not only strong technical expertise, but also political awareness and human skills, including the ability to understand the wider impact or perceptions of their decisions. 

Looking ahead 

The CoE congratulates all mentors and mentees who took part in the programme this year and thanks them for their engagement, openness, and commitment throughout the process.