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WPON presented the new “Guidelines for Gender Sensitive Policing with a Particular Focus on Recruitment, Selection and Professional Development of Women in Police Services” at the Belgrade Security Forum

The Women Police Officers Network in Southeast Europe (WPON) officially launched the new Guidelines for Gender Sensitive Policing with a Particular Focus on Recruitment, Selection and Professional Development of Women in Police Services (in BCMS) at Belgrade Security Forum (BSF).

The guidelines were designed to outline concrete and simple steps that can help better integration of women in the police services in Southeast Europe. Specifically, the guidelines aim to:
 

  •     Identify the challenges in the process of recruitment, selection and professional development of women in the police services of Southeast Europe;
  •     Develop a greater understanding of the problems that women face within the police services;
  •     Foster the exchange of information and good practice in this area; and
  •     Define measures that can improve the existing practice.


The analysis and recommendations proposed in the document are based on the data collected by 8 police services, members of the Southeast Europe Police Chiefs Association (SEPCA).

Before a numerous audience, the guidelines were presented by Dr. Ivan Zverzhanovski UNDP/SEESAC Team Leader a.i, Jelena Vasiljevic, Assistant Head of Border Police Directorate at the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, and Bojana Balon, WPON Project Coordinator.

Dr. Zverzhanovski noted that “given that women account for approximately 50% of the population, the integration of women in the police services is essential for the ability of the police to effectively respond to the needs of the communities they serve...In Southeast Europe women currently make some 3% to 7% of uniformed police officers.” Dr. Zverzhanovski underlined that “there is an increased recognition of the contribution women can bring to various aspect of police work, as well as a growing number of women among those studying to become or already serving as police officers.”

Ms. Bojana Balon highlighed the simplicity of the recommendations. ”Given that the guidelines were formulated by the women who currently work in the police force, they focused on problems and corresponding measures that are essential, which can easily be implemented, and do not require extensive financial resources… Specifically, the guidelines provide recommendations that will help to:

  •     Recruit a larger number of qualified and motivated women candidates, and to ensure their admission in the police education system and police service;
  •     Make the selection process more gender sensitive;
  •     Strengthen the professional development of women in the police;
  •     To make sure that career advancement for women is not limited by formal and informal obstacles.”


Jelena Vasiljevic, who served as the first Chair of WPON, explained the workings of the network.“WPON was formed in 2010, by members of 8 police services, at the request of the Southeast Europe Police Chiefs  Association (SEPCA), which means that the initiative enjoys the support of the leadership...Focused on promoting gender equality in the police services, without destabilizing the existing system, the work of WPON focuses on networking and information exchange, trainings for women police officers to advocate for gender mainstreaming, development of guidelines for gender sensitive policing in SEE, and providing support for national-level activities“ explained Ms. Vasiljevic.
 
The presentation was followed by a vibrant debate during which colleagues from institutions such as the National Democratic Institute, the Ministry of Interior of Sweden, and UN Women, among others, posed questions and made comments on the guidelines.

The Guidelines are currently available in BCMS but will soon be available in other regional languages and in English.

WPON is an initiative, supported by UNDP/SEESAC, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

 

 

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