In all interactions with our partners and counterparts in the Palestinian Security Sector and Justice System, EUPOL COPPS works consistently to promote gender equality, build capacities in the field of gender mainstreaming and integrate gender issues in policies and daily work routines.

But also the European Union itself works to encourage and increase women’s participation in our crisis management missions and operations around the world. This is a priority, because it sustains our credibility, improves our operational effectiveness and increases the talent pool for personnel. In the EUPOL COPPS Headquarters in Ramallah, gender balanced recruitment remains a constant priority.

On 1 February 2018, one in three Mission Members (29.5%) were women. This percentage is in line with the overall proportion of women in other EU civilian crisis management missions, where the percentage has grown from 20 to slightly over 29 from 2007 to 2016. Still, one important area remains to be further developed; that is to recruit and employ more women in senior leadership positions.

The High Representative and Vice President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini has repeatedly pledged to increase the percentage of women in EU’s internal decision-making mechanisms and management positions to 40% by the end of her mandate in 2019.

This visionary objective will remain a target for this mission as well. The EU has recently published a study on “Women in EU missions and operations”. The 37 page long study (in English) is available here. This is one of several pieces leading up to the International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March 2018.

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Press Release

EUPOL COPPS