On November 27, 2025, the 4th International Conference “Power and Influence of women in the development of the Security Sector” was held in Belgrade at the Palace of Serbia, organised by the Network of Policewomen of the Republic of Serbia in cooperation with the European Network of Policewomen.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr. Đuro Macut, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Ivica Dačić, opened the 4th International Conference.
In his opening speech, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dačić said that society and the security sector are facing many difficult challenges, and in this context, women in the police force, bring with them with their professional knowledge, analytical thinking skills, empathy, high stress resistance, and professional dedication. He added that women in the police force are involved in field work, numerous interventions, criminal investigations, and risky situations in the same way as men, where they approach solutions in a unique way and make an important contribution to improving the protection of victims of violence.
Minister Dačić emphasized that strengthening the role of women is not just a declaration, but is essential for creating conditions for complete gender equality, not only in the police force, but also in all other sectors.
He said that much had been done in the past in the area of gender equality in the police, but that work must continue to increase the number of women in leadership positions.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr. Đuro Macut, emphasised that the work of the Network of Policewomen of Serbia is an example of how the principles of strengthening the role of women and equal opportunities for gender equality and non-discrimination are successfully implemented in concrete results and that they strengthen the effectiveness of the Serbian police.
Speeches followed by Nenad Vujić, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, Minister of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, Tatjana Macur, Minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, prevention of violence against women and economic and political empowerment of women in the Republic of Serbia, Yakup Beris – UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Serbia and Prof. Dr Zoran Đurđević, Rector of the Criminal Police University.
The President of the Serbian Policewomen’s Network and the European Network of Policewomen, Katarina Tomašević, emphasised that the organisations have incredible potential for women to collaborate, exchange experiences, and support each other in their professional development.
After the introductory speeches, the conference continued with presentations by representatives of the police forces of Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Moldova, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Spain, and the United Kingdom, Julia Jaeger, President of the International Association of Women Police (IAWP), Karen Duckworth, President of the IPA Section UK and Leader of the SHEisIPA Project, Elisavet Spitadaki and Remigiusz Bak, International Cooperation Experts, IPA III Border Security Project, Pre-accession Cooperation Sector, Frontex, Prof. dr. Slavica Đukić Dejanović, Advisor to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Vesela Milovnović, Head of Policie Directorate in the City of Smederevo and Tamara Božić, Ministry of Defence.
Modern policing requires competence-based leadership, trust, integrity and strategic resilience. And resilience comes from diversity.
Strong police organisations are not those without change – but those who know how to lead change.
Executive board members ENP
