Mulugeta PhD, TizitaGirma, Sewunet2019-10-292023-11-182019-10-292023-11-182019-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/12345678/19686This study entitled Opportunities and Challenges of Gender Mainstreaming Process in the Safety and Security Service department of Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa has conducted with the main objective to explore the existing Gender Mainstreaming practices in line with Opportunities and challenges in the study department. In order to achieve this objective qualitative research approach was used. For selecting participants of the study purposive sampling technique was applied. To gather the necessary data, the study employed interview, document review and observation. The major findings of the study reveals that, by recognizing the importance of gender equality and the empowerment of women, gender issues are clearly articulated and included with specified objectives and mandates on the strategic plan of United nation Department of Safety and Security and gender policy of Economic Commission for Africa. Practically female security officers are highly underrepresented in all managerial level and gender imbalance was highly observed. Majority of the respondents had not clear understanding about the concept of Gender and Gender mainstreaming. Due to; the so called gender focal person of the study department has been working mainly as administrative assistance very few works are done by the office with regard to gender. The partnership between the Economic Commission for Africa and Africa Union to enhance gender mainstreaming strategy, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, the existence of Economic Commission for Africa gender policy and United nation Department of Safety and Security strategy on Gender Equality and women were identified as a good opportunity to implement gender mainstreaming strategy whereas the external entry barriers to join the Safety and Security Service department such as: small number of female applicants with compared to male counterpart, lack of language skill, confidence and competency, lack of awareness for internet technology and information gap to follow vacancy was identified as a challenge for female security officers. Thus, to mitigate the factor that hindering Gender mainstreaming strategy rather than depending on the external factor, the department should be take internal organizational encouragement method.enEconomicChallengesOpportunitiesThesis