First Annual Conference of Republic of Srpska WPON (invitation and agenda) - December 12, 2012

From: Tatjana Telic <Tatjana.Telic@mup.vladars.net> Date: December 12, 2012 4:20:30 PM GMT+01:00 To: Undisclosed recipients:; Subject: First Annual Conference of Republic of Srpska WPON Dear all,                 The Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Srpska and its Women Police Officers Network (RS WPON) organized the First Annual Conference of RS WPON. The event was held on December 10th, 2012 in the Administration Centre of the RS Government in Banja Luka and it gathered representatives of the RS Ministry of Interior, Executive Board of the Network, Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, Gender Centre of the RS Government, UNDP/SEESAC, Regional WPON Network, UN Women, ICITAP and several NGOs.                 The Conference was opened by the President of the Network Assembly, Ms Indira Rogic, followed by the speech given by the RS Minister of Interior, Mr Stanislav Cadjo and H.E. Ms Vibeke Lilloe, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to BiH. The presenters included the President of the International Association of Women Police Officers (IAWP), Ms Jane Townsley; representative of the European Network of Policewomen, Ms Anita Wieman-Hesterman; Ms Bojana Balon, WPON Project Manager (UNDP/SEESAC) and Ms Sanja Sumonja, WPON Executive Committee Chairwoman and member of the RS WPON.                 The national Republic of Srpska Ministry of Interior Women Network – RS WPON was officially registered on May 31, 2011, with the basic aim of promoting and applying gender equality, strategic approach to the employment of women in the police, education, training, career development and promotion of the work results of the female members of our Ministry. By establishing this network, the RS Ministry of Interior has become the first Ministry in the region to create this form of association, and based on the initiative of SEPCA (Southeast Europe Police Chiefs Association) to establish Women Police Officers Network in Southeast Europe – WPON.                 The Guidelines for Gender Sensitive Policing with an Emphasis on Recruitment, Selection and Professional Development of Women in Police Services were presented at the Conference. The Guidelines, developed by the WPON Working Group, were designed to outline concrete and simple steps that can help better integration of women in the police services.                 The meeting was also an opportunity to present activities of the RS WPON since its establishment through reports on awareness raising campaigns, capacity development, training and advocacy for gender equality in policing. Participants agreed that since its foundation RS WPON has achieved a lot in identifying existing best practices, while at the same time proposing a set of measures which will help police services attract and retain more qualified women.                 Agenda and few photos from the event are attached.                 With best regards, Tatjana Telic Chief of International Affairs Department Ministry of Interior of Republic of Srpska Banja Luka Bosnia and Herzegovina Tel:    +387 51 33 84 88 Fax:  +387 51 33 88 44 Mob:+387 65 52 67 99 E-mail: tatjana.telic@mup.vladars.net