A regional initiative to strengthen gender equity in policing began today at the Sheraton Resort in Denarau, Nadi, with participants from across the Pacific gathering for a week of training.

The program, supported by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), was jointly opened by Fiji’s Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu and AFP’s Commander Pacific, Acting Assistant Commissioner Phillipa Connell.

Connell told delegates that the AFP itself is still learning and evolving, stressing the importance of practical steps to break down barriers for women in law enforcement.

Commissioner Tudravu assured the group of strong backing from the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police, highlighting their commitment to elevating women’s roles in policing.

Representatives from Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, Nauru, Tahiti, Northern Marianas, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Tokelau, Guam, New Zealand and Fiji are taking part in the sessions, which are being delivered through the Pacific Community for Law Enforcement Cooperation (PCLEC).

The training is designed to foster leadership, strengthen workplace conditions for female officers, and encourage open discussion to help shape the decisions of Pacific Police Chiefs on gender equality in policing.