Representatives of associations of women police officers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia recently visited Stockholm for a study visit to the national Swedish Police Authority, with the aim of exchanging experiences on advancing gender equality in police structures.

The study visit brought together representatives of two associations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Association “Network of Women Police Officers” and the Women’s Network of the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska, as well as the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Women Police Officers Network of the Republic of Serbia, together with representatives of UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina and UNDP in Serbia.

The programme focused on practical solutions applied by the Swedish police in the area of gender equality, from recruiting and retaining women in policing, career advancement and mentoring, to leadership development, prevention of discrimination and strengthening institutional mechanisms for equal opportunities.

During the visit, the participants learned about the approach of the Swedish Police Authority, where gender equality is not treated as a separate activity, but as an integral part of management, planning, decision-making and everyday police work. Particular attention was devoted to systematic data monitoring, transparent recruitment and promotion procedures, leadership development and the role of management in creating an inclusive working environment.

“Good practices from Sweden confirm that advancing gender equality is a process that requires continuous investment, commitment and joint work of institutions,” said Lejla Džinović from the Association “Network of Women Police Officers”.

The Swedish police also presented the results of long-term institutional reforms. Today, women make up around 48 percent of all employees, 38 percent of police officers and 41 percent of management positions in the Swedish police. These results were achieved through strategic planning, continuous monitoring and constructive analysis of gender-disaggregated data, as well as investment in professional development.

“Gender equality is not a dead letter on paper, and the progress achieved should be continued through strengthening the legislative framework, institutional action and changes in social awareness,” said Ljiljana Đurić, member of the Women’s Network of the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska.

During the visit, participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia jointly defined recommendations that could be useful for future reform processes. These include strengthening recruitment campaigns for women in policing, increasing the visibility of successful women police officers, cooperation with educational institutions and civil society, introducing structured mentoring and leadership programmes, improving conditions for staff retention and regularly collecting gender-disaggregated data.

“Examples from Sweden show that real progress is achieved through systemic change, long-term investment and strong support from leadership at all levels,” said Police Colonel Katarina Tomašević, President of the Women Police Officers Network of the Republic of Serbia.

The study visit further strengthened cooperation between associations of women police officers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, the Swedish Police Authority and UNDP, while opening space for continued knowledge exchange and the adaptation of good practices to the institutional context in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region.

It was concluded that gender equality in police structures requires long-term institutional commitment, responsible leadership, transparent procedures, investment in professional development and the creation of a working environment in which women and men have equal opportunities to contribute to the safety of all citizens.

This study visit was organized within the project “Advancing the Capacities of Law Enforcement Agencies in the Field of Small Arms and Light Weapons” (LEAD), implemented by UNDP in BiH, and the project “Reduce Risk – Increase Safety, Phase 3”, implemented by UNDP in Serbia, with the financial support of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Sweden, the French Republic, the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Norway, and with the general support of the European Union, through the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) for the implementation of the Roadmap for a sustainable solution to the suppression of illegal possession, misuse and trafficking of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition and explosives in the Western Balkans by 2030.