Women Police Association expresses gratitude for the European Union support

On the occasion of its 8th anniversary in the Republic of Moldova, representatives of the Women Police Association expressed their gratitude to the EU Ambassador to Moldova for the support provided by the European Union. This meeting with external partners was one of the first in which Iwona Piórko participated in her capacity as EU Ambassador to Moldova.

The Association was created in 2017, at the recommendation of the EU Delegation, in the context of implementing the EU-funded Police Budget Support programme, with the objective of increasing the number of women in the police. Today, the Association has over 300 women as members.

The European Union has always supported the personal and professional development of women in Moldova, encouraging them to engage in social life, politics, and entrepreneurship. Today’s meeting carried a double symbolic meaning, as Iwona Piórko is the first woman to serve as EU Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova.

Background information

Over its 8 years of activity, the Women Police Association (WPA) has organised training sessions on gender equality, prevention of workplace harassment based on sex/gender, and prevention of discrimination for staff across all subdivisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) in five regions of Moldova (Bălți, Chișinău, Ungheni, Comrat, and Cahul).

The WPA carries out motivational and inspirational activities for female students at the “Ștefan cel Mare” Academy of the MIA – future women police officers.

The Association has also developed two guides – on sexual harassment prevention and Introduction to Project Management – as well as a study identifying the training needs of MIA staff. It also has accredited experts in areas such as communication and public relations, professional ethics, project management, gender equality, leadership, and more.

The WPA has received two international awards:

• Second place among 29 participating countries at the World “Women in Security Sector” Conference, held in Budva, Montenegro, in 2024.
• Public Choice Award among 19 participating countries at the same conference in 2019.

In 2023, the WPA successfully signed numerous collaboration agreements with national and international organisations and institutions, including the Women Police Associations of Montenegro and Ukraine, the International Police Association – Moldova Section, the European Institute of Political Studies in Moldova, and the Women in Cybersecurity Programme. This autumn, the Association plans to sign an agreement with the Association of Women in Justice and Prosecution.

For the first time in the Republic of Moldova, in March 2025, the WPA organised a Dialogue on Leadership and European Values – hosted by the Women Police Association with the support of the Embassy of Sweden in Chișinău and DCAF – which took place at Europe Café.

The panel brought together the Ambassadors of Sweden, Japan, Denmark, and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Norwegian Embassy in Chișinău, who discussed: the essential role of women in building a democratic and safe society; international support for gender-sensitive reforms in the internal affairs sector; European values integrated into security systems; and the importance of collaboration between institutions and civil society.