Women play greater roles in organized crime in South-Eastern Europe than many estimate, finds new OSCE policy brief

A new OSCE policy brief published today reveals that women play a greater role in organized crime in South-Eastern Europe than many criminal justice institutions estimate. This and other key findings were discussed during the policy brief’s launch event held on the margins of the OSCE Security Committee meeting on 18 November in Vienna, Austria.

“The participation of women in criminal networks is still not fully understood and is too often overlooked. I strongly support efforts like this research, which seek to address this critical gap,” said Ambassador Neil Holland, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the OSCE and current Chair of the OSCE Security Committee, during the event.

The policy brief, “Understanding the role of women in organized crime in South-Eastern Europe”, builds on earlier OSCE research and explores regional dynamics around the roles of women in organized crime. It offers practical guidance to policymakers and criminal justice practitioners on how to design more inclusive and gender-sensitive strategies to prevent and combat organized crime.

The study also examines how women are recruited into criminal networks, the roles they assume within these groups and the challenges they face when attempting to exit criminal structures or access witness protection programmes.

A key finding of the study reveals that, while women play significant and sometimes senior roles in criminal groups, persistent gender stereotypes lead to a lack of recognition. This allows some women to operate with relative impunity, but also limits opportunities for their engagement in prevention, exit and protection initiatives.

“By deepening our knowledge of the roles women play in organized crime, we can better disrupt criminal groups, close off avenues for exploitation and appreciate the complex pathways that lead women into — and out of — these networks. Our policies and programmes must reflect the full spectrum of experiences and perspectives,” Ambassador Holland said.

The policy brief was developed by the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department who co-organized the launch event with the 2025 OSCE Chairpersonship of Finland and the current Chair of the OSCE Security Committee, the United Kingdom.