Skopje, 7 March 2024 (MIA) - Women play an important role in building a stable and democratic society. Greater involvement of women in police will improve the institution's operations in general. Fighting stereotypes and prejudices is a key aspect of European reforms, said President Stevo Pendarovski on Thursday.

President Pendarovski told a Regional Gender and Security Conference, organized by OSCE and ODIHR, that past stereotypes put women in a disadvantaged position in the security sector.

"We must change these habits that are deeply entrenched in our mentality," said Pendarovski.

According to him, the police has an indispensable role in the implementation of laws, maintenance of order, observance of human rights and freedoms, and protection of state borders, thus "fostering the citizens' trust in their own country and its institutions".

"Experiences from the most developed countries have shown that female police officers can be quite successful in resolving situations of gender-based violence and domestic violence that involve women and children victims," noted Pendarovski.

Caretaker Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski said the 2023 report on equal opportunities showed that nearly 79 percent of staff in law enforcement were men, while 21 percent were women.

According to him, the same was valid for women's representation in leadership positions, which could be attributed to the stereotypes related to police work. 2023 data shows that 17.8 percent of leadership positions in the police were held by women, up from the 12.5 percent in 2019.

"Nevertheless, the percentage is still devastating. The additional challenges women face on the job are their retention in the job, representation in special units and career advancement, which is partially owed to their efforts to maintain a balance between the professional and family life," added Toshkovski.

He said the OSCE-supported gender mentorship programme at the Ministry included 150 participants, resulting in increased awareness in the institution over the gender perspective and the need for involvement of women in police, while adding the political will within the ministry to set up a Network of Women in Police.

Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Kilian Wahl, said the organization is committed to gender equality.

"We have implemented several ministerial decisions for empowerment of women and their public participation, as well as prevention of violence against women and girls. This conference is an example of OSCE's strong commitment to include gender and gender issues in the security sector. Women must sit on the decision-making table at all levels, and this is non-negotiable," said Ambassador Wahl.

He referred to data from the European Institute for Gender Equality that the percentage of women in the security sector is about 20 percent, which lags behind the recommended 30 percent, adding that the numbers of women in leadership positions in the sector are even worse.

"We must shatter gender stereotypes in society, especially in the security sector, and open the doors of opportunities for all women," said Wahl.

Photo: President's Office