Senior police executives at workshop on gender equality and sexual harassment

A two-day workshop on "Raising awareness of gender equality in the police for top executives" began today (October 8, 2020) at the Garden City Hotel in Konjic. The workshop is realized within the project "Raising awareness of gender equality in police structures in BiH through training of executives", implemented by the " Policewomen's Network" Association, and funded by the Agency for Gender Equality of BiH from FIGAP II Program. The training is attended by senior police officers from all over BiH.

This is the second workshop of this type conducted within the project, which is aimed at decision makers in the police, as practice has shown that managers in police agencies did not attend trainings on this topic, because gender equality issues are still seen as " women's issues ", and not the capacity building activity of police services. Having in mind the above, it is very important that this training is mostly attended by men, decision makers in the police.

The aim of the workshop is to raise awareness about gender equality in the police, pointing out the need to adopt a program of measures aimed at achieving gender equality, bearing in mind the fact that women are underrepresented in police agencies at all levels in BiH. Also, raising awareness about gender discrimination and sexual harassment, as the research showed that there is a high dark number of these cases in the police structures in BiH.

Since education is the best way to overcome gender stereotypes and prejudices about the police as a "male occupation" and women as a "weaker sex", we appreciate that it is extremely important that top police executives undergo training on this topic, in order to begin take concrete measures towards the integration of a gender perspective in all spheres of police work, and the application of affirmative measures that will contribute to gender equality and ultimately greater efficiency of police bodies.