CRU 222 and Gender Integration

Gender integration with the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) is a big issue with ISAF. It seems that ISAF has been working toward this goal for a long time but only recently (my perspective) does it seem to be making headway. Perhaps (finally) we are using a little pressure and leverage (that would be withholding money, equipment, or assets) to facilitate gender integration. A good example of gender integration (and perhaps some behind the scenes leverage) is the newly acquired women's facility on Camp Lion. This former Norwegian Special Forces camp housed the Norwegian Special Operations Advisory Team and was handed over to the Afghan Ministry of Interior on October 12, 2014. Camp Lion is on the military side of the Kabul International Airport. It is home to Afghanistan's Critical Response Unit 222 (CRU 222) which is overseen by the Afghan General Command of Police Special Units (GCPSU). The agreement to turn the camp over included provisions for a women's facility (there is that leverage thing; you can have the camp but there must be a women's facility!). Read more in "Norway negotiates all-female facility at Camp Lion", ISAF News, November 2, 2014.