The UNODC Passenger and Cargo Border Team (PCBT) and the UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) launched a pioneering initiative supporting maritime law enforcement responses to crimes in the fisheries sector (CFS) in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Through comprehensive training programmes and strategic sea operations, the Blue Enforcement Initiative enhances knowledge and capacity of law enforcement, fisheries and customs officers to effectively address CFS, while fostering cross-agency coordination and regional cooperation.
Anne Linn Jensen, Programme Officer at the UNODC Border Management Branch points out that in highly male-dominated industries like fisheries and law enforcement gender aspects need to be a substantive part of this project to have the sought after impact. The Blue Enforcement Initiative therefore addresses challenges often faced by women in these professions, which hinder them from advancing in their careers. Listening to the women officers participating in the initiative makes it clear just how gender stereotypes can instill negative biases towards women, seeing them as unsuited for the profession and being judged harder than their male counterparts, frequently being viewed as less skilled. This often discourages women from pursuing a career in law enforcement.
The women officers highlighted how these obstacles need to be tackled through a dual approach. While policy change is necessary to effectively promote gender equality and safeguard women’s rights, it also needs to be complemented by a cultural change. That means that the policies cannot be left on the shelf, but they need to be reflected in attitudes and behaviours. There is a profound need to raise awareness on unconscious biases against women in law enforcement and fisheries sector. Only when we have an understanding for the cultural and organizational unspoken biases and norms that we operate under is it possible to create inclusive workplaces that are beneficial for everyone. Such a workplace promotes work-life balance, fosters a culture of mutual respect, and provides equal opportunities for career development to everyone, regardless of their gender.
The Blue Enforcement Initiative aims at promoting equality by providing women in law enforcement and the fisheries sector with a space to build connections, establish mentorship schemes, provide leadership training and to create global and regional networks for women to support their career progression. Anne Linn Jensen, highlights that “leadership training is something women often miss out on. We know that men are more often chosen for both such and other general capacity building. Through this project, we tried to help close this training gap.”
The Blue Justice Initiative is an ongoing process and continues to strive to promote gender equality through for instance a dedicated side event at the Blue Justice Conference in Copenhagen in 2023.
