OSCE and the Spanish National Police train Mediterranean border security officers on gendered aspects of cross-border crimes

On 30 and 31 October, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department's Border Security and Management Unit in close co-operation with the Spanish National Police hosted an interactive training course on gendered aspects of transnational threats in Madrid. The event brought together 27 first- and second-line border security officers from Albania, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Spain and Tunisia.

Experts from the European Union Advisory Mission to Ukraine, the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, the Spanish National Police and members of the OSCE-led Mobile Training Team conducted the course sessions.

“I would like to stress also that National Police has made a constant effort to introduce a gender perspective in its daily work, among other things, by including more and more professional women in identification of crimes”, said Chief Superintendent Eulalia González Peña, Deputy Director of the Technical Cabinet, Spanish National Police, in her opening remarks.

Ambassador Alena Kupchyna, OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats, emphasized that “Cross-border crimes impact men, women, boys, and girls differently and have challenged border and law enforcement agencies across the OSCE area and beyond in responding to different gender-specific needs and experiences of those affected”.

The course addressed the nexus between organized transnational crimes and gender and examined the impact of gender-based biases and stereotypes on the effectiveness of border services. Participants engaged in discussions on the role of women and men in terrorism and violent extremism, including the push and pull factors for both genders to participate in these crimes.

The training course also introduced gender-sensitive and trauma-informative interviewing techniques to improve the identification of victims and potential perpetrators of cross-border crimes.  The session on communication at the borders introduced the possible indicators and signs of deception in non-verbal communication with perpetrators of cross-border crimes.

During the interactive session, participants analysed the gendered dynamics of human trafficking and how men and boys can be silent victims. They also engaged in exercises addressing harmful biases and stereotypes.

This training course was conducted under the OSCE initiative aimed at strengthening border security in the Mediterranean region.