Honourable Prime Minister, Kurti,
Honourable Minister Sveçla,
Honourable Director General of the Police, Mr. Mehmeti,
Very honourable Ambassadors present, and all of you representatives of the Kosovo Police and other security institutions
I am happy that today we have all come together to discuss an issue which I consider a national priority since it is also in the framework of the Women’s Agenda for Peace and Security. As President, I am deeply committed not only to the empowerment and promotion of women in general, but especially to their promotion in the security sector, seeing this as a precondition for the overall success of our society.
I am aware that a lot of effort has been put into researching, drafting and finalizing the Kosovo Police Agenda and Action Plan for Gender Equality. Therefore, let me congratulate all of you who have contributed to this Agenda and Action Plan. At the centre of this Agenda is Equality, Diversity and Human Rights, which are the pillars on which our Republic is built.
We have all repeatedly stressed the importance of the rule of law as an essential pillar of our state’s success in various fields. And among the main elements of the rule of law is the equality of all before the law and the principle of non-discrimination, being these principles, which help us to achieve gender equality in every field, including the field of security.
In this context, we should especially mention the women and men, who have worked extremely hard to bring us to this stage in which we are today, and they are aware that our institutional support for them will determine the conditions for today but also for the future of our girls from all walks of life and from all communities which will serve the country with honor and pride, equal in challenges and equal in advancement.
As you know, gender inequalities also affect the scale of crime and its victims. These inequalities also affect the way crime is fought. The more equality in security institutions, the more victims will be protected and the more the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
This is why gender equality in the Police and other security institutions is so important, but also necessary.
Gender equality has its challenges, which have grown in the Security Sector for a variety of reasons. Police recruitment, training, professional development, specializations, career advancement, decision-making, leadership and executive management – equal opportunities based on merits and professionalism, are ongoing challenges across the security sector.
It remains a permanent task of the institutions to make gender equality part of their daily commitment, in terms of efficiency, quality and professionalism of services, which then increase civic well-being
Women in uniform were part of the first generations of the Kosovo Police. This goal started then, and should continue even stronger from now on. And before them there were many women who contributed to our resistance and who during the war defended their homeland and who made an extraordinary contribution to our freedom, a contribution that is often ignored. Those women who gave everything for us today to have free, independent and equal institutions for all citizens are a constant source of inspiration for the path ahead.
Honourable participants,
Society is not equitable if equality does not affect all sectors, including the security sector, as one of the axial sectors of the state. We need to encourage women to become part of this sector, by providing adequate mechanisms to eliminate the gender difference in this structure more and more each day.
We must avoid concrete stereotypes about the security sector as men's sector. There is no men's sector, there is a security sector with men and women who jointly look after the security of all our citizens without distinction.
Official data shows that there is about 15 percent of women in the Kosovo Police. But, this figure is lower in the Correctional Service with 13 percent, the KSF with 11 percent and so on.
Although these statistics may seem positive, they are in fact not encouraging for most security institutions, especially for girls and women who are not yet part of these institutions, and who intend to become in the future. Therefore, we all have a lot of work to do to increase the commitment in order that these statistics undergo a significant transformation, not only in numbers but also in the representation and the growing role of women in decision-making within these institutions. Women in this sector should not be there just to improve the statistics as they say from time to time, but they should be given the responsibility that belongs to them, ie the responsibility at the highest decision-making levels, because they deserve to be there. They must take as many leadership positions as possible to show their extraordinary knowledge and courage, and to rise to the top of state responsibilities.
So, simply put, women can be extraordinary police officers, colonels, soldiers, generals or even other leadership positions, which were traditionally conceived as dedicated to men. And not only to be there but also to radically contribute to pushing forward the institutions they lead and moving forward their state.
For gender equality to really work, it must be a joint venture of all of us, both women and men, who must be committed to acting based on respect, merit and professionalism.
Inequalities are the result of many stereotypes present in our society, hence we need structural changes to change and transform the existing situation.
The more women are involved in the security sector, the more security for our state, and the more civic credibility in relation to these institutions. This will further consolidate security, making the involvement of women in it an internalized action of each security institution. Therefore, we must move from the legal basis to the creation of the institutional mentality, and first of all the cultural mentality, according to which the institutions become stable, professional and efficient when equal opportunities for both sexes are the ABC of our action.
Since we are at the end of the year, let me convey to you all the heartfelt congratulations to all the women and men who serve in the security sector and to all of you who are here today, wishing you health and success at work throughout 2022!