New Zealand Police has won its bid to host an international conference dedicated to strengthening, uniting and raising the capacity of women in policing.
The 2023 International Association of Women Police (IAWP) annual conference will be held in Tāmaki Makaurau, in conjunction with the Australasian Council of Women and Policing Inc (ACWAP) conference.
More than 600 delegates from around the world are expected to attend, including senior police, researchers and policy makers.
“New Zealand Police is thrilled to have secured the right to host this world-class conference for the first time in September 2023,” Deputy Chief Executive People and Capability Kaye Ryan says.
“Everything we do at New Zealand Police is about ensuring people are safe and feel safe. To enable us to deliver on this commitment we are guided by our core values of professionalism, respect, integrity, commitment to Maori and the Treaty, empathy and valuing diversity.
“We recognise the value different perspectives and experiences bring to our organisation of 14,000 people. By reflecting the communities we serve and appreciating different thinking, we are best placed to prevent crime, reduce harm and advance our vision of being the safest country.
“The joint IAWP and ACWAP conference will further promote diversity and inclusion, as well as providing an exceptional development opportunity for our staff and all delegates.”
The conference will explore a range of themes and ideas including how to make policing a more attractive and rewarding career for women, how policing can better meet the needs of women and demonstrating good practices for improving the employment of women in policing.
ACWAP President and AFP Assistant Commissioner Deb Platz says ACWAP has successfully run a joint conference with IAWP twice in Australia – the last time being in Cairns in 2017.
“Bringing together the two organisations in a joint conference strengthens the training and development opportunities for all attendees. We know that the New Zealand Police will host a superb conference — bringing the spirit of manaakitanga and providing attendees with a unique experience.”
New Zealand Police is committed to increasing the number of women in all ranks, with 20 per cent growth in female constables since 2017. More than 34 per cent of all Police staff are women.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre