At the 93rd INTERPOL General Assembly in Marrakech, Commissioner Shanta Knowles underscored the strategic importance of women’s leadership in global policing, drawing on her own historic trajectory within the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Her interventions aligned with broader conversations at the assembly, where women’s underrepresentation among national delegations highlighted persistent structural barriers to equitable participation. Emphasizing mentorship, intentional institutional support, and community-centred policing strategies such as “Clear, Hold and Build,” Commissioner Knowles articulated the operational and trust-building gains that accompany inclusive leadership models.

These themes resonate strongly with the expert roundtable convened earlier in November in Vienna by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the Strategic Police Matters Unit, which examined gender-responsive policing in multi-ethnic societies. Specialists from law enforcement, academia, civil society, and international organizations explored the intersecting challenges faced by minority women—both as officers and as community members, when policing practices do not adequately account for gender, ethnicity, and discrimination. The discussions addressed persistent barriers to recruitment and advancement, the need for improved accountability mechanisms, and the importance of gender-sensitive data collection to strengthen responses to gender-based violence within diverse populations.

Both forums emphasized that meaningful progress requires institutional commitment, updated policy frameworks, such as strengthening the HCNM Recommendations on Policing in Multi-Ethnic Societies, and sustained international cooperation. As INTERPOL and the OSCE continue their respective processes, insights from these discussions have the potential to drive more inclusive, accountable, and community-rooted policing across participating states.

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