EUBAM Libya and Interior Ministry Explore Enhanced Cooperation for Women Police Empowerment – EEAS

Report on EUBAM Libya and Ministry of Interior Collaboration for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A meeting was convened between experts from the European Union Border Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya) and officials from the Libyan Ministry of Interior. The primary objective was to discuss enhanced cooperation and support mechanisms for the Ministry’s women’s police force. This initiative is critically aligned with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning gender equality, institutional strength, and global partnerships.

Alignment with SDG 5: Gender Equality

The core of the discussion was centered on advancing women’s empowerment, a direct objective of SDG 5. The proposals and planned activities aim to achieve gender equality within the law enforcement sector.

• Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership. The meeting focused on proposals to advance women’s roles and integration within the Ministry of Interior.
• Target 5.c: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality. A significant focus was placed on strengthening the Women Police Academy, a key institution for embedding gender equality principles and empowering female personnel.
• Actionable Programs: The dialogue aimed to translate strategic plans into tangible programs that support and integrate women personnel across all levels of the Ministry.

Contribution to SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

By strengthening the capacity and role of the women’s police force, the collaboration directly contributes to building more effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions, as outlined in SDG 16.

1. Building Inclusive Institutions: Enhancing the women’s police force makes security institutions more representative of the society they serve, fostering trust and legitimacy.
2. Ensuring Responsive Decision-Making: The direct engagement allowed the Mission to gather key observations from Ministry officials, ensuring that future projects are responsive to local needs and priorities.
3. Strengthening the Rule of Law: A diverse police force is better equipped to address a wide range of security challenges, including gender-based violence, thereby improving access to justice for all.

The Role of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

This initiative exemplifies a strategic partnership between an international entity and a national government to achieve sustainable development, which is the essence of SDG 17.

• Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: The meeting between EUBAM Libya and the Ministry of Interior is a clear example of a partnership mobilizing knowledge and expertise.
• Effective Coordination: The constructive discussions laid the foundation for establishing effective coordination mechanisms, which are essential for the success of future collaborative projects.
• Shared Goals: The fruitful dialogue underscores a shared commitment to translating plans into action, leveraging the partnership to achieve common objectives related to security sector reform and gender equality.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article’s primary focus is on “women’s empowerment” within the Libyan Ministry of Interior’s police force. It explicitly mentions initiatives to support the “women’s police force” and the “Women Police Academy,” which directly aligns with the goal of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.
2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The cooperation between EUBAM Libya and the Ministry of Interior aims to strengthen a key state institution—the police force. By working to make the police more inclusive and effective through the integration of women personnel, the initiative contributes to building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article describes a partnership between an international entity (EUBAM Libya) and a national government body (Libyan Ministry of Interior). This collaboration, focused on sharing expertise and developing joint activities to achieve common objectives, exemplifies the spirit of global partnerships for sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Target 5.5: “Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.” The article’s emphasis on advancing women’s empowerment, supporting the Women Police Academy, and integrating women personnel directly supports increasing women’s participation and potential for leadership within the public service sector of law enforcement.
2. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Target 16.a: “Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, to build capacity at all levels…” The meeting between EUBAM Libya and the Ministry of Interior is a clear example of international cooperation aimed at strengthening a national institution (the police force) and building its capacity.
3. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.16: “Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships…” The collaboration described between EUBAM and the Libyan Ministry is a multi-stakeholder partnership designed to mobilize and share expertise to support the achievement of development goals related to gender equality and institutional strength.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention explicit quantitative indicators, but it implies qualitative and quantitative measures that could be used to track progress:

1. For Target 5.5:
   • An implied indicator is the number and proportion of women integrated and supported across the Ministry of Interior. The success of the “actionable programs” could be measured by an increase in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of women in the police force, aligning with the official indicator 5.5.1 (Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments and local governments) and 5.5.2 (Proportion of women in managerial positions).
2. For Target 16.a:
   • A qualitative indicator is the existence and implementation of collaborative projects and joint activities between EUBAM Libya and the Ministry. The article states that the dialogue aims to “translate these initial plans into actionable programs,” the successful implementation of which would serve as a direct indicator of international cooperation strengthening the institution.
3. For Target 17.16:
   • The partnership itself, as described in the article, serves as a qualitative indicator. The establishment of “effective coordination” and “fruitful dialogue” leading to actionable programs is a measure of a functioning multi-stakeholder partnership working towards sustainable development goals.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: eeas.europa.eu