NBNP activities during the Swedish Presidency 2001-2007
The 3rd NBNP Conference
Pol-E-Quality in Diversity Conference
In November 2007 the NBNP arranged a great conference at The National Police College of Finland. The themes of the conference were crimes against women and children, trafficking in human beings, equality, human rights, diversity and discrimination. All together about 200 police officers and other interested parties participated in the conference. This was the third conference organized by NBNP. Previous NBNP-conferences have been held in Oslo (2003) and Tallinn (2005).
The Conference began with an introduction to the Police College and presentation of equipment and training facilities. In the evening there was a reception at the City Hall of Tampere. The main conference was opened by Permanent Secretary of The State of Finland, Ritva Viljanen, and the outgoing chair of the NBNP, Maria Appelblom, welcomed the audience. The theme of the speech of deputy National Commissioner from Sweden, Anne-Marie Begler, was police and gender equality. The same theme was treated by Professor Kaisa Kauppinen from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health of Finland. Consultant Tina Due Hilborg and Special Consultant Jette Flensborg explained equality from a human resource perspective. The horror of war and crimes against women and children was the topic of forensic dentist Helena Ranta’s presentation from the University of Helsinki.
After the key note speakers the audience divided to workshops. Professor Liv Finstad and Police Chief Inspector Marit Johansen from Norway introduced the workshop “a question of honour”. Director Steve Burge, from United Kingdom, and Senior Detective Superintendent Jorma Laitinen, from Finland, convened the workshop “diversity and discrimination” while Doctor Kim Peters and Doctoral Candidate Mette Hersby, both from United Kingdom, spoke on “gender equality”. Sociologist Merli Klein, from Estonia, led the workshop “prostitution in human beings” and Swedish Police Sergeants Riikka Ylijukuri and Göran Stanton ran a workshop “working with hate crimes”.
The Nordic Council of Ministers has always supported NBNP conferences. Senior adviser Carita Peltonen shed light on equality from the point of view of Nordic Council of Ministers.
The Gala Dinner was hosted by Ministry of Interior of Finland. During this, the conference delegates said goodbye to the previous Chair, Maria Appelblom, and Secretary Eiwor Wraneus.
The last day of the conference started with a plenary of the representatives. Film Director Anja Dahlhoff showed films of trafficking in human beings. The films were very moving and the panel following them very knowledgeable. The panellists were Anja Dahlhoff, Master Merli Klein from Estonia and Reda Sirgediene, Head of the Human Trafficking Investigation Unit from Lithuania.
Neurologist Satu-Kivitie Kallio from Helsinki University Central Hospital was a key note speaker with a very professional presentation on the theme “shaken baby syndrome”.
The challenging title “The Electric Chair” involved panellists discussing difficult topics in the police organizations such as sexual minorities and equality in recruitment. The chair was Councillor of State of Finland Riitta Uousukainen and participants were writer Leena Lehtolainen from Finland, ombudswoman Beate Gangås from Norway, jurist Dr. Erik Wennerström from Sweden. It was and facilitated by Tanya Antonova, a member of NBNP.
After lunch the European Network of Policewomen was presented by President Erica Wietinger. Senior officer Kirsi Koivuniemi then summarized the conference and closed it.
Altogether the Conference was a success and the NBNP can look brightly to future and start planning the next one.