SOLOMON ISLANDS: Local Police Women Benefits from Women's Regional Police Conference

Date: 
Monday, June 21, 2010
Source: 
Solomon Star
Countries: 
Asia
Oceania
Solomon Is.
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
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Four female officers from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force have returned to the country after participating in the 7th Annual Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Women's Advisory Network (PICP WAN) conference recently held in Samoa.

The event is an annual occasion whereby police women representatives from member countries get together to discuss issues affecting women in policing in the region and collectively find ways to address them.

During the two day conference, participants from member countries delivered presentations on a range of issues impacting on police women in their countries.

The Solomon Islands police contingent was hailed for making history by becoming the first country in the region to have its own police women's advisory network.

The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force is the first organisation in the region to have established its own Police Women's Advisory Network and PICP WAN has had significant influence on its development.

RSIPF female officers have benefited from the police women's advisory network initiative which has created an avenue whereby police women are given an opportunity for their voice to be heard and be recognised on leadership, policing service delivery and management issues at the executive level.

Earlier this year, the RSIPF Women's Advisory Network hosted police women from all over the Provinces and representatives from other member countries for their first ever Women Officers' Conference in Honiara from 8 to 11 March 2010.

The four day conference was held to coincide with the International Women's Day celebration.

The PICP WAN was established in 2003 with seven South Pacific Island member countries and has since extended to other parts of the Pacific region.

The Police Women's Advisory Network has now got 21 members countries in the region including Australia and New Zealand.

With a mission statement that pledges to support and enhance the contributions of women in policing within the region, PICP WAN is committed to implementing its Strategic Plan fashioned to provide greater policing opportunities for police women in the region.

This is aligned with the PICP WAN's vision of ‘Greater participation of women in Police leadership, management and delivery of policing services in the pacific.'