The Norwegian Police hosted the Nordic Baltic Network of Policewomen (NBNP) Board meeting in Bergen (Norway) on 9-10 September 2025 Jan 12
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The Nordic Baltic Network of Policewomen held a board meeting in Vest Police District Headquarters (Bergen, Norwegian Police). The meeting was chaired by Clara Guaralnik, Chair of the NBNP and a member of the NBNP from Estonia.
Within the NBNP meeting on 9-10 September, 2025 the following main topics were discussed:
- Cases of murder within domestic violence;
- Gender responsive policing;
- Crime prevention – Domestic violence – Honor based violence.
Ane Kvål, Head of West Police District (Bergen) was pleased to welcome the representatives of Nordic and Baltic countries to the meeting. Mrs A. Kvål gave an overview about the of the police operations conducted across the Western Region and the crime situation in Bergen as well as presented a structure of the Western Police District.
Further the following presentations were given by the representatives of the Vest Police District:
- “Homicide January 2024 I West police district”. Anders Erdal, Police Superintendent.
- „Crime prevention – Domestic Violence-Honor based violence”. Jon Rune Eikemo, Police Superintendent.
- Research on partners homicide in Norway 1950 – 2012.
Also, the topic of the future of the NBNP including project proposal was discussed. Eygló Harðardóttir (Iceland) and Lene Nilsen (Norway) were invited to the meeting to provide an overview of project funding opportunities available through the European Economic Area (EEA)/Norwegian Financial Mechanisms. The primary discussion focused on supporting gender-responsive policing and the fight against gender-based violence.
During the NBNP meeting also the following questions were discussed:
- Future Activities of NBNP;
- Constitution of the NBNP;
- NBNP Home Page www.nbnp.ee.
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Next NBNP board meeting Mar 31
nbnp.board · Comments: 4 Read more »During the meeting held on 26-27 November 2024 in Finland NBNP Board decided to elect Estonia to be chair for the period 2025-2026. Mar 31
nbnp.board · Comments: 4 Read more »The Finish Police hosted the Nordic Baltic Network of Policewomen (NBNP) Board meeting in Espoo (Finland) on 26-27 November 2024 Jan 24
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The Nordic Baltic Network of Policewomen held a board meeting in Espoo at the Headquarter of the National Police Board of Finland. The meeting was chaired by Alda Hrönn Jóhannsdótti, member of the NBNP from Iceland.
Within the NBNP meeting on 26 November 2024 the Nordic-Baltic expert seminar “VIOLENCE – IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND IN PUBLIC SPACE” was held.
The aim of the seminar was to focus on the challenges of gender-based violence in our Nordic and Baltic countries. Experts presented and discussed prevention and actions taken in the Nordic and Baltic countries with focus on violence in close relationships and in the public space from a Nordic-Baltic multidisciplinary, cross-sector, gender and police perspective.
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Good memories from the seminar on topic" Trafficking in human beings and the border crossing of women and men, girls and boys" held in Vilnius in 2022 Feb 19
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On 21-22 September 2022, an international seminar on ‘Trafficking in human beings and the border crossing of women and men, girls and boys’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Seminar’) was organised in Vilnius by the Office of the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Nordic-Baltic Network of Policewomen, and the Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior. The aim of the seminar was to bring together representatives of Nordic and Baltic police organisations, public authorities, non-governmental organisations, and experts involved in the daily fight against trafficking in human beings to discuss the current situation of human trafficking in Northern Europe.
The seminar was opened by the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania, Agnė Bilotaitė. The Minister was pleased to welcome the representatives of Nordic and Baltic countries to the seminar because this cooperation is important for our region in order to protect the vulnerable and stop those who can contribute to their suffering. Renatas Požėla, Commissioner General of the Lithuanian Police, wished the participants of the seminar a productive discussion on the current situation of human trafficking in Northern Europe and the possibilities to strengthen international cooperation in the prevention of trafficking in human beings.
During the two-day seminar, knowledge on trafficking in human beings was shared, and opportunities and actions to combat human trafficking in different forms were presented and discussed. The seminar discussed how crises and wars increase crime and trafficking in human beings, as well as the situation of boys and girls arriving alone in the Nordic and Baltic countries.
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The Estonian police hosted Nordic Baltic Network of Policewomen Board meeting on 30 -31.1.2024 in Tallinn Feb 16
nbnp.board · Comments: 0The Nordic Baltic Network of Policewomen held a board meeting in Tallinn at the Headquarters of the Estonian Police and Border Guard. The meeting was the first of two board meetings to be held during 2024 brought together 1-2 representatives from each member country, and it was chaired by Alda Hrönn Jóhannsdótti, Iceland. This interesting and thought-provoking meeting addressed the evaluation and the development of the network's operations, as well as the core activities of NBNP for 2024.
Kristi Hallas, Deputy Director General in the field of Development the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board welcomed NBNP Board to Estonia and gave an overview about the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board. K.Hallas talked about Women in policing, joint operations (JO's) and police management, as well as the Police's gender equality plan and the Police's Code of Ethics from the Estonian perspective. The presentation was enlightening and sparked a lot of interesting discussion among the board.
Domestic violence arouses emotions and discussion
Domestic violence in close relationships is seen as a common and constantly increasing phenomenon in all member countries. Especially among young people, it has been observed that the number of violent crimes has increased and the crimes have become more brutal.
Inese Volosevica mentioned that violent crimes committed by young people have also increased in Latvia. A worrying new phenomenon is how violence has become entertainment where acts of violence and abuse are recorded on video and posted on social media.
Margrete Vaage told about the state of serious violent crimes has in Norway increased rapidly. According to the January 2024 statistics alone, the number of serious violent crimes is a
Risk assessment as a tool for prevention of domestic violence
The Board discussed especially the prevention of domestic violent crimes and what kind of means the police organizations of different countries have to prevent these crimes. We also discussed means to better recognize a victim of domestic violence. Risk assessment and its importance as a necessary tool in the prevention of violent crimes were also discussed.
NBNP shares the concern about violence against women
Violence is a gendered phenomenon and it can be mental, financial, sexual or digital in addition to physical violence. NBNP is particularly concerned about violence against women.
The discussions around gender-based violence took an interesting turn around the Istanbul Convention. The majority of NBNP member countries have signed the Council of Europe´s Istanbul Convention, i.e. the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The agreement obliges the signatory countries to prevent and eliminate violence against women. https://www.coe.int/en/web/istanbulconvention.
Many countries also have their own programs to combat violence against women, e.g. Finland had a program to combat violence against women 2020–2023: The goal of the program was to reduce violence against women and improve the status of victims of violence. The goal of this program is to increase awareness of violence against women, improve services and support for victims of violence, develop the activities and cooperation of authorities, and strengthen legislation.
The law is a powerful tool in actions against violence.
Legislation is one of the most powerful tools against violence. Legislation can effectively both prevent violence and punish those guilty of violent crimes. In the Nordic and Baltic countries, the police is obliged by law to make an ex officio report on violence in a close relationship.
Carine Arntzen said that in Norway the police can assist victims of domestic violence by offering the victim an individual violence alarm, which is a low-threshold measure in form of a device carried by the threatened person to alert when necessary. In addition, there is a reverse violence, which is an ankle monitor placed on the perpetrator to restrict and monitor their movements. There has recently been a legal amendment in Norway, to simplify and increase the use of ankle monitors, or reverse violence alarms, so that this can be offered without a court order.
In all, this meeting both highlighted the measures already taken to combat violence, as well as the future trajectories of NBNP in this endeavour.
Written by Leena Lukala,
NBNP representative from Finland
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Next NBNP meeting Dec 15
nbnp.board · Comments: 0The next NBNP meeting will be held in Tallinn, Estonia.
Read more »NBNP new chair is Iceland Feb 16
nbnp.board · Comments: 24 Read more »Lack of female leaders in the Danish police force and the obstacles to attract more Jan 26
nbnp.board · Comments: 0 Read more »Leena Lukala and Margrete Vaage represented NBNP at the seminar and presented NBNP`s latest project Woman in Police- changes and challenges. Jan 26
nbnp.board · Comments: 0The main purpose of the Nordic Network Meeting on Gender Equality
At this seminar each group presented their own projects, on the topic of "Gender equality in working life".
Leena Lukala and Margrete Vaage represented NBNP at the seminar and presented NBNP`s latest project Woman in Police- changes and challenges.
The seminar not only shed some light on important gender issues, but also awoke conversation on how these issues may be addressed, and how they already have. It is this kind of sharing of experiences and ideas and practices that allows for solutions to be found.
We are proud of you, Taimi! Aug 08
nbnp.board · Comments: 0http://www.finestfriendshiprowing.com/en_GB/
Read more »New Activity Plan Jun 06
nbnp.board · Comments: 102New Activity Plan 2018-2019 was adopted by NBNP board members in Oulu November 2017. You can find the document here Activity Plan 2018-2019
Read more »Nordic-Baltic seminar WOMEN IN THE POLICE - CHANGES AND CHALLENGES 31.05 - 01.06.2017 Conference Center of the Ministry of Interior, Riga, Latvia Aug 17
nbnp.board · Comments: 0 Read more »NBNP board memebers had a meeting on November 14-15th 2016 in Oslo. Nov 17
nbnp.board · Comments: 0 Read more »NBNP board meeting was in Finland, Turku 02-03 of March Mar 07
nbnp.board · Comments: 0 Read more »Policewomen mobilise against trafficking Oct 02
nbnp.board · Comments: 0Please take a look on websites below. There is interestning and useful information from NBNP chairwomen.
http://www.nikk.no/en/news/policewomen-mobilise-against-trafficking/
http://www.nikk.no/nyheter/kvinnliga-poliser-mobiliserar-mot-trafficking/
The Expert Round Table seminar 7-8.10.2015, Riga, Latvia Sep 17
nbnp.board · Comments: 0 It will be an interactive Nordic-Baltic dialogue on GENDERED VIOLENCE from a Nordic-Baltic Police and gender equality perspective .
NBNP`s next board meeting Oct 06 in Riga Sep 09
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Attending CSW 59 in NYC March 2015 Mar 05
nbnp.board · Comments: 0Read more about CSW and UNWomen http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw59-2015
Board meeting Feb 3-4 in Copenhagen Feb 02
nbnp.board · Comments: 0NBNP`s next board meeting Sep 23
nbnp.board · Comments: 0The NBNP Board met in Tallinn Apr 29
nbnp.board · Comments: 0Season's Greetings Dec 23
nbnp.board · Comments: 0We would like to thank all our friends and partners. We wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Read more »The Board got a new member Nov 19
nbnp.board · Comments: 0First time in history of NBNP the board made decision to appoint Mrs Carita Peltonen an Honorary Member of NBNP.
Read more »Nordic-Baltic Network of Policewomen (NBNP) was constituted in Riga, Latvia, in April 2001. All the Nordic countries and all the Baltic countries are members and are actively participating in the work of NBNP.
The Board members represent police organizations from Nordic and Baltic countries.
The objectives of the network are to develop equal opportunities within the police, achieve gender equality in all ranks and fields of the police and encourage women for managerial positions in order to have more women in higher positions reflecting the percentage of policewomen within the police by:
Exchange information and knowledge about gender equality, discrimination and diversity;
Exchange professional experiences and knowledge in policing;
Exchange professional experiences and knowledge concerning female leadership;
Extend contacts with women`s networks nationally and internationally;
Contribute so that the police are a place where diversity is respected;
Contribute to the fight against all kinds of discrimination within the police.