3 officers to train in naval navigation, part of a wider push to expand women’s roles in policing
KUWAIT: Kuwait is sending its first female Coast Guard officers abroad for training, a landmark step in the country’s push to expand women’s roles in the security sector.
The Interior Ministry said three women have been enrolled at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England. They’ll undergo advanced academic and practical training in naval navigation, preparing them to serve as navigation officers once they return.
Officials described the deployment as “the first experience of its kind in Kuwait’s maritime security work,” saying it reflects a wider effort to modernize the Coast Guard and “empower women by providing opportunities to engage in various security and military fields.”
The move comes as women steadily gain ground in Kuwait’s police and security services. More than 900 women now serve as police officers, according to Interior Ministry figures from 2024. Earlier this year, former Interior Ministry Undersecretary Lt Gen Sheikh Salem Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah said empowering women in policing is “not merely about achieving balance and equality, but a necessity to ensure more comprehensive and sustainable security.”
That message was underscored at Kuwait’s first Gulf women police forum, held in February with female security leaders from across the region. Participants recommended boosting specialized training and expand international exchanges to strengthen women’s contributions to law enforcement.
Kuwait’s connection with the Royal Naval College stretches back decades. Cadets from Kuwait have long trained at Dartmouth, and in 2000 the Amir of Kuwait funded a new sports pavilion at the campus. In December 2023, Kuwaiti cadets marched in a passing-out parade attended by Prince William, the Prince of Wales.
Britain’s defence attaché in Kuwait Colonel Neil Marriott welcomed the Coast Guard initiative during a visit to meet the trainees and their commander, Director General of the Coast Guard Commodore Sheikh Mubarak Ali Al-Yousef Al-Sabah. He said the exchange “reflects the depth of the historical relations between Kuwait and the United Kingdom.” — Agencies
