MANILA – Women personnel from different law enforcement agencies in the Philippines participated in a training sponsored by the U.S. Government, with the aim of enhancing recruitment, retention, and promotion of women in the law enforcement sector.
According to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, the training is sponsored by the U.S. Embassy’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), held from February 26 to March 1 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Eight Filipino delegates from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Corrections, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, attended the training together with their counterparts from Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand.
The embassy mentioned that the training covered fundamental topics, including “leadership, emotional intelligence, change management, and project management” and was facilitated by experts from the U.S. Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
After the training, each participating country is expected to develop a “project charter” that identifies gaps and opportunities to improve the status of women working in law enforcement organizations.
U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson highlighted the importance of such trainings geared towards women in line with the celebration of International Women’s Month.
“As we celebrate Women's Month, it is only fitting that we take this opportunity to shine a spotlight on your remarkable achievements and contributions,” U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said.
“The U.S. Embassy looks forward to continued collaboration in building a future where women in law enforcement, and all sectors, are celebrated, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential,” she added.
Meanwhile, PNP Colonel Nieves Dela Peña believes that the training has given the participants a platform to collaborate and support fellow women in the law enforcement sector in the region.
“The INL Regional Women in Law Enforcement Training Workshop provided an opportunity for women in the law enforcement sector to promote women empowerment, gender equality, and inclusion,” PNP Colonel Nieves Dela Peña said.
“It served as a venue to strengthen collaboration and support among women in the law enforcement sector in the region, gain new knowledge and share best practices that can help in developing strategic plans in respective countries and organizations,” she added.
INL works with Philippine law enforcement agencies in countering crime, illegal drugs, and instability, as well as expanding programs promoting gender equality in the sector.
