OSCE Mission to Skopje organizes networking meeting on gender mainstreaming within law enforcement agencies

SKOPJE, 9 December 2015 – Fostering a gender balance and promoting women’s rights in the police service is the aim of today’s OSCE-supported networking meeting taking place in Skopje, which will bring together 35 representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MoIA), the national Police Union and the Association of Women in the Kosovo Police (AWKP).

The participants will share their experiences and ideas on how to better incorporate a gender perspective in the daily work of the police and will identify areas of future co-operation.

“Gender equality and mainstreaming are key aspects of the OSCE’s work, and our Mission supports empowering women’s participation in both national and local institutions, as well as in public security and civil society organizations,” said Deputy Head of OSCE Mission to Skopje Marianne Berecz.

Hrizantema Rendevska, President of Women’s Section of the Police Union, said: “We are actively working on increasing the influence and visibility of our activities both within the Police Union and the ministry. This meeting will help us streamline our potential in different areas of society and establish gender mainstreaming networks in the region and beyond.”

Participants will also get acquainted with the activities of the Mission’s Gender Working Group and of the work of the Association of Women in Kosovo Police (AWKP), an organization which aims to strengthen the role and status of women in law enforcement.