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The parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee has said that MI5, MI6, GCHQ, and other security groups should diversify their recruitment by taking on more women, specifically middle-aged Mums, in a bid to try and provide a more rounded view of security threats. They said that the current system is one that is filled with traditional male mentality and only those that shout the loudest and are looking to advance their careers tend to be the ones that have their voices heard.
A similar report in the US also gave similar findings, and the author of the UK report said that diversity should be sought because it will offer greater security by employing a broader range of people with different backgrounds that would be able to identify a wider range of threats. Committee member Hazel Blears said that the current crop of security professionals means that most members look at potential threats in the same way, and only by diversifying personnel can security forces really hope to identify more threats.
Not only did the report suggest that diversification was important, not only because of a legal and moral responsibility to employ a more diverse range of people but because of its benefits. The report went on to say that the security groups should use different mediums to attract professionals, including those that specifically target mums, such as Mumsnet.
The report included research on the existing role of women in the security groups, and said that 37% of the groups were made up of women but only 19% of senior positions were held by women. The report suggested that changes needed to be made if more women were to be attracted to the positions, and this included offering flexible working hours and childcare. The first step according to the report, however, was tackling the male dominated mentality within the groups.
MI5 has come under pressure in recent months after it emerged that a number of blunders and errors led to the terrorist titled Jihadi John being allowed to leave the country and flee to Syria. It has emerged that the MI5 and police came into contact with Mohammed Emwazi at least a dozen times, including an initial encounter when security services believed that he was attempting to join a Somali terrorist group six years ago.
Emwazi managed to sidestep MI5 and police, and leave the country to join the Syrian cause. He has now become one of the world’s most wanted men, having been radicalised in the UK, after he executed at least five western hostages. He was on a terrorist watch list when he managed to escape the country and flee security forces, and it has been reported that security teams in the UK had attempted to recruit him before he made his move.
With all eyes firmly on MI5 and other terrorist groups, the government is looking for ways in which it can hope to restore some of the faith that people have lost, and this includes identifying a greater range of terror threats.
A similar report in the US also gave similar findings, and the author of the UK report said that diversity should be sought because it will offer greater security by employing a broader range of people with different backgrounds that would be able to identify a wider range of threats. Committee member Hazel Blears said that the current crop of security professionals means that most members look at potential threats in the same way, and only by diversifying personnel can security forces really hope to identify more threats.
Not only did the report suggest that diversification was important, not only because of a legal and moral responsibility to employ a more diverse range of people but because of its benefits. The report went on to say that the security groups should use different mediums to attract professionals, including those that specifically target mums, such as Mumsnet.
The report included research on the existing role of women in the security groups, and said that 37% of the groups were made up of women but only 19% of senior positions were held by women. The report suggested that changes needed to be made if more women were to be attracted to the positions, and this included offering flexible working hours and childcare. The first step according to the report, however, was tackling the male dominated mentality within the groups.
MI5 has come under pressure in recent months after it emerged that a number of blunders and errors led to the terrorist titled Jihadi John being allowed to leave the country and flee to Syria. It has emerged that the MI5 and police came into contact with Mohammed Emwazi at least a dozen times, including an initial encounter when security services believed that he was attempting to join a Somali terrorist group six years ago.
Emwazi managed to sidestep MI5 and police, and leave the country to join the Syrian cause. He has now become one of the world’s most wanted men, having been radicalised in the UK, after he executed at least five western hostages. He was on a terrorist watch list when he managed to escape the country and flee security forces, and it has been reported that security teams in the UK had attempted to recruit him before he made his move.
With all eyes firmly on MI5 and other terrorist groups, the government is looking for ways in which it can hope to restore some of the faith that people have lost, and this includes identifying a greater range of terror threats.