Gender Strategy vision
To be a world leading police service in the practice of gender mainstreaming, building gender capability and the prevention of gender-based crime wherever the AFP operates internationally.
Call 000 if you need urgent help
To be a world leading police service in the practice of gender mainstreaming, building gender capability and the prevention of gender-based crime wherever the AFP operates internationally.
To promote and protect gender equality through the integration of policies and practices across all our International policing operations.
The objective of the AFP's international engagement is strong leadership and collaborative partner relationships leading to the protection of Australians and Australia's national interests onshore and offshore, contributing to a safer Australia.
The International Command Gender Strategy is an important pillar supporting the AFP's mission, Policing for a safer Australia. It is an essential element of our success in protecting Australia's national security by ensuring that a gender perspective is placed on international operations and partnerships with law enforcement; and that our deployed teams reflect the communities we serve.
Our goal is a strategically aligned gender strategy, which sets out how the AFP incorporates gender into operations off-shore, in a dynamic and complex world. The AFP's International Command Gender Strategy 2018–2024 reflects the International Engagement 2020 and Beyond strategy, the AFP Cultural Reform – Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2016–2026 (AFP D & I Strategy) and the Australian National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security.
In developing the International Command Gender Strategy the AFP engaged widely with stakeholders. The strategy builds on the AFP's existing strengths in addressing gender in international policing operations and responds to changes in the external environment.
We operate in a complex, dynamic and constantly changing international environment, increasing the importance of representing gender diversity in our deployed personnel.
Economic, legislative and cultural environments often contribute to the prevalence of gender-based crimes in country. Low levels of education in women and children and a lack of economic empowerment for women often contribute to women and children not being aware of their rights or having access to justice.
Within many of the countries where the AFP operates, there are high rates of gender-based crime, including: domestic violence, rape, sexual slavery, sexual violence including forced pregnancy and/or abortion, sterilisation, child marriage, female genital mutilation, illegal child adoption, incest and sorcery-related homicide.
Partner police may have varying capacity and capability to respond to gender-based crimes through first responders and specific domestic violence or women and children's protection units. Systems and access to justice in countries where the AFP operates may also be limited. Support services and resources to assist victims of gender-based crimes are also often lacking.
The international community has recognised the importance of supporting gender equality through various international frameworks and the International Command Gender Strategy ensures the AFP fulfils responsibilities in accordance with these relevant frameworks including:
The NAP is the Australian Government's approach to supporting UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325). The NAP sets out what Australia will do, at home and overseas, to integrate a gender perspective into its peace and security efforts, protect women and girls human rights and promote their participation in conflict prevention, management and resolution.
The National Action Plan identifies four key outcomes to guide our international efforts in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Selected for their contribution to peace, the outcomes are:
The AFP has key responsibilities to provide law enforcement support and capacity building as part of Australia's NAP to UNSCR 1325. The International Command Gender Strategy is aligned with these outcomes outlined in the NAP.
In responding to the changing environment and building on previous gender strategy, the AFP's International Command Gender Strategy 2018–2024 has been expanded for greater coverage of our international footprint, across all missions, posts and external territories and addresses a broader range of domestic and transnational gender-based crime and other law enforcement activities.
This includes a greater focus on gender-related aspects of transnational crimes such as cybercrime, counter terrorism, human trafficking and exploitation; and gender-based domestic and sexual violence.
The strategy is defined by three strategic themes:
Under these themes the International Command Gender Strategy sets out five strategic priorities, each with specific objectives, targets, initiatives and measures.
Critically important to the development and implementation of the AFP's International Command Gender Strategy 2018–2024 is the close alignment the AFP Cultural Reform – Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2016–2026, the AFP's responsibilities set out in Australia's National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
Three broad themes guide the International Command Gender Strategy.
A critical part of the International Command Gender Strategy is for the AFP to lead by example. We need to demonstrate gender equality, both in terms of the gender composition of teams that are deployed, the gender mainstreaming of our core operations internationally, and the mindsets and attitudes of members displayed on deployment.
The AFP's role regionally and internationally is to promote security and law enforcement capacity and capability building. Our International Command gender strategic initiatives will be focused on our policing and law enforcement role. Capability development will also bring greater focus to the gender aspects of transnational crime including counter terrorism, countering violence extremism, people smuggling, human trafficking, cybercrime and other forms of exploitation.
To achieve our goals the International Command Gender Strategy will emphasise engagement across the AFP and with external stakeholders. The challenges we aim to address in this strategy require all stakeholders to work collaboratively. We will put in place strategies for even more open exchanges between stakeholders and to work as one team.
Improve gender composition of International Command deployments
International Command demonstrates leading practice approaches to gender equality aligned with the AFP Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, through improved gender composition of deployed personnel.
Our target is for the deployment gender composition to mirror the AFP wide gender composition for sworn and professional roles. By doing so International Command will support the AFP goal of 35% sworn females by 2028.
Ensure gender mainstreaming across deployment activities
Our objective is to mainstream gender across all deployment activities, including program design, pre-deployment and on-deployment activities.
Gender is integrated into mission, post and external territories program design and monitoring functions; AFP members role model leading gender practice while on deployment; and the AFP has an active and utilised gender network.
Develop a series of toolkits to support International Command staff with a standardised approach to gender analysis.
Improve composition and capacity with partner police
Our goal is to work in collaboration with country partner police services to build capacity for improving gender equality practices, composition and outcomes in their police services.
Support partner and host country police services to improve the gender composition within their police services (specific targets may be determined by partner police organisations over time).
Improve capability on gender-related law enforcement operations
Strengthen AFP and partner law enforcement capacity and capability to respond to gender-based domestic and transnational crimes; and mainstream gender analysis across AFP critical incidents response and recovery.
The target outcome is a reduction in domestic gender-based violence in country, improved experience for victims in accessing law enforcement support, and increased reporting on gender-based transnational crime and domestic crime.
Increase stakeholder engagement and collaboration
Build strong stakeholder relationships; ensure effective collaboration on gender initiatives with international partners, NGOs, and civil society; and maintain and enhance cooperation on matters of mutual strategic and operational interests to Australia and countries.
Achieve maximum impact in gender capacity and crime-related operations; maximising benefits and efficiency of gender programs; coordinated inter-agency / organisational approach to capacity development.
Governance and oversight of the International Command Gender Strategy is essential for implementation. Governance structures include:
Strategic initiatives outlined in the AFP's International Command Gender Strategy 2018–2024 will be prioritised and implemented over three time horizons: 0–12 months; 12–36 months and 36 months+. Prioritisation will be based on alignment with initiatives and strategies outlined in International Engagement 2020 and Beyond strategy, AFP Cultural Reform – Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2016–2026 and activities planned in missions, posts and external territories.
A core focus for International Command will be ensuring that we monitor and evaluate progress on the implementation and impact of the International Command Gender Strategy. Important to the strategy is the streamlining of data collection and reporting to maintain a single source of data truth and enable ease of reporting.
Each country and culture where the AFP operates is different and has different underlying social norms on the role of men and women. The International Command Gender Strategy aims to develop tailored solutions and actions for each context, respecting the local country culture and not imposing our values.
In delivering the strategy the AFP takes a broader definition of gender to reflect the gender norms and challenges in countries where the AFP operates. The key terms are outlined below.
Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women, girls and boys, which determine our common understanding of masculinity and femininity. Masculine and feminine are gender categories. Gender is learned; concepts of gender change over time, and varies within and across cultures.1
1 This definition was developed by Alice Ridge (Policy and Advocacy Advisor, ACFID), Anu Mundkur (ACFID-ACMC Liaison and Juliet Hunt (Independent Consultant) for a gender audit project.
Equal opportunities, decision-making and outcomes for all genders. This involves the removal of discrimination and structural inequalities in access to resources, opportunities and services – in all areas of social, economic and political life. Achieving gender equality requires the promotion of equal rights, since equality between genders is an integral part of universal human rights.2
2 This definition was developed by Alice Ridge (Policy and Advocacy Advisor, ACFID), Anu Mundkur (ACFID-ACMC Liaison and Juliet Hunt (Independent Consultant) for a gender audit project.
The economic, social and power relations between genders that are constructed and reinforced by the rules and practices of social institutions. Rather than considering genders in isolation, we need to consider the power, benefits, opportunities and rights of different genders relative to each other.
Gender equity is the process of being fair, to ensure 'fairness' special temporary measures may need to be taken to compensate for historical or systematic bias or discrimination. (NAP definition)
Mainstreaming a gender perspective is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels. It is a strategy for making women's as well as men's concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality. (NAP definition)
A gender perspective examines the impact of gender on people's opportunities, social roles and interactions. Including a 'gender perspective' requires an understanding that women and men have different experiences, access to resources, needs and interests.
Applying a gender lens is a mechanism or approach of considering a program or policy with regard to how it will affect people of different genders differentially. Then incorporating gender-responsive considerations into planning, decision-making, policy and program implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and communications. (NAP)
Gender discrimination, including that perpetrated against women girls, and gender non-conforming, is a violation of human rights. It includes direct and indirect discrimination, and acknowledges the compounding effects of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination that women and girls commonly face.
An AFP member of staff whose specific role is to provide support to leadership, team members and partners to ensure that planning, delivery and evaluation properly integrates gender perspective into all areas of operations. Gender Advisors are responsible to identify and implement gender-related initiatives aligned with the International Command Gender Strategy, which may include gender equality advocacy, gender reporting, working with local police on gender initiatives, supporting women's networks and conducting gender training with local Non-Government Organisations (NGOs).
An AFP member of staff performing a dual role. In addition to their primary operational or professional responsibilities, employees appointed as Gender Focal Points are responsible for supporting leadership, teams and partner agencies in ensuring a gender lens is placed over operations and for the implementation of gender-related initiatives aligned with the International Command Gender Strategy. In larger teams the Gender Focal Point maybe responsible for reporting of gender activities to a Gender Advisor.
References to Mission Commanders include all employees, acting or substantive in the role of an International Command Mission and/or International Network Commander.