Iceland Joins Global Network on Gender Equality in Law Enforcement

Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir, the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police, and Eygló Harðardóttir, the Director of Crime Prevention at the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police, participated in the meeting on behalf of Iceland.

Sigríður Björk explained the comprehensive approach that Iceland has been taking in law enforcement to promote equality in law enforcement in Iceland and introduced the changes that have been made in the Icelandic police to promote increased efficiency and success. She also explained how attitudes and procedures of the police need to be changed so that everyone in society can serve on equal basis.

“The working class eats policy at breakfast. If there is to be a real change, equality in law enforcement must be part of the police’s daily work. Only in this way can we guarantee all citizens of society a fair and good service from the police. Participation in the network and cooperation with UN Women will both give us the opportunity to share our experiences and learn from other member states,” said Sigríður Björk.

The network will be led by Chile, Senegal and the Netherlands, which represent 16 nations, including Iceland. A number of actions have contributed to increasing public trust in the police and encouraged more victims to report violations to the police.

Actions taken include:

• Bring police training to a higher level and review the continuing and re-training of police officers.

• Increase the number of women in the police, including in management positions.

• Spread decision-making, especially in the processing of domestic violence cases.

• Interdisciplinary work with municipalities, healthcare, NGOs etc.

There are still challenges to be faced, such as promoting a better work culture within the police and better guaranteeing accountability of perpetrators of gender-based violence.

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