Advancing Gender Equality in Costa Rica's Police Forces

The key to a successful future for any organization lies in its ability to attract, develop and retain the best talent. With half of the world's population being women, educating, empowering and recognizing their talent is fundamental to succeeding in a rapidly-changing world. Costa Rica adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all Costa Ricans, however there is still a long way to go. If it is desired to achieve gender equality by 2030, actions must be improved and the pace accelerated, as stated by Costa Rica's Ombudsman's Office.

The purpose of this project is to provide a coherent and standardized approach to gender equality by integration of best practices and standards into the police-specific policies, guidelines and standard operating procedures. The grantee will work in close collaboration with INL, the National Police Academy and the Gender Office of the Ministry of Public Security to promote the development of the capacity of all police forces in Costa Rica on gender issues (adapted to the specific national and local context and security needs), ultimately ensuring that the issue of gender equity is viewed as a mainstream issue and not a transversal one.

The recipient will develop an empowerment strategy on gender equality for the Costa Rican National Police, which includes: a system of theoretical and practical modules that facilitate strategies to train police officers in current gender issues; manuals of good practices for their constant application in police and administrative activities; and respective guides for verifying the application of gender equality in daily police and administrative work.

The project goal is to integrate the gender equity approach in the daily work of the Ministry of Public Security, through the integration of best practices and standards in the policies, guidelines and specific operating procedures of the police forces of the Ministry of Public Security.