HeForShe is a UN campaign aimed at inspiring men and boys to bring bring about gender equality.
The Police Superintendents’ Association has signed up to support this campaign.
HeForShe is inviting people around the world to stand together for gender equality.
More than a fight for female rights or feminism, gender equality affects everyone in some way, whether over parental leave, mental health issues, professional advancement and glass ceilings, personal health or confidence issues.
The Association signed a commitment at the Senior Women in Policing Conference in November 2017 to take action to create, and encourage others to be involved in creating, a gender-equal world.
The pledge included continuing to champion the value of difference and inclusivity in the police service, particularly amongst our membership, and to work to bring about positive change in this area. This includes:
- engaging with our members and the wider workforce to discuss gender equality within the workplace
- aspiring to improve the gender imbalances at senior levels within policing
- continuing to work to combat domestic abuse and sexual abuse in society through education, awareness raising, and influencing improvements in policy, training and practice.
Attending a HeForShe event at New Scotland Yard on May 21, where he re-confirmed the pledge, President Gavin Thomas said:
“The PSA recognise the benefits which are delivered by diverse organisations. By truly representing the communities they serve, the police are better able to understand their needs and create safer places to live.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to address gender inequality and not something that only those who are negatively affected by it should be concerned with. Addressing violence against women and girls, for example, is down to everyone.
“In supporting HeForShe, we are demonstrating the strength of our commitment to ensuring a police service that is representative of the communities that we serve”.
The Association has worked with the College of Policing to provide training this year for a quarter of its membership in coaching and mentoring skills, to use specifically with colleagues from under-represented groups to help them develop and progress.
Our recent focus day on valuing difference and inclusion – Difference, Determination and Duty – included a look at gender inequality in the workplace and what the service can do to further improve the representation of women in policing. Search #differencematters on Twitter to see more.
Find out more by visiting the HeForShe website.