The next day 8 March, “International Women’s Day” is celebrated and therefore this article aims to address the issue of the low rate of feminization of the Security Forces (FS), after 53 years since the first women joined the Public Security Police (PSP) and 30 years since the same thing happened in the Republican National Guard (GNR), at a time when recruitment rates are the lowest ever.
Rogério COPETO
Colonel of the GNR
Master in Law and Security and Homeland Security Auditor
Probably, as is tradition on “International Women’s Day”, more measures will be announced to attract women to the FS, just like the day 7 March 2021, when Expresso published in the article “MAI imposes a minimum number of women in recruitment for GNR and PSP (15% and 20%)", where it stated that “The Ministry of Internal Affairs will include in the recruitment rules in 2021 minimum indicators of 15% of women in incorporation into GNR and 20% for PSP agents”.
But after three years we found that at the Flag Oath Ceremony of the 54th GNR Guards Training Course, held on 15 Feb., took an oath before the National Standard, 11 women and 163 men, representing a rate of 6,32% of women and at the Commitment of Honor Ceremony of the 52nd GNR Guards Training Course, conducted in 4 October 2023, of 223 Guards 16 they were women, representing 7,17% of feminization rate.
The only good news comes from PSP, when in the last Officer Training Course of that FS, which ended in June last year, finished the course 13 women, total no 28 official, representing a feminization rate of 46,52%.
With regard to the feminization rate in both FS, is verified after consulting the “GNR Activity Report 2022", in which 31 December 2022, were counted 23.684 workers performing duties, and 22.874 Military (96,58% of the staff), divided in 21.468 men (90,64%) and 2.216 women (9,36%), whose feminization rate is 9,36%, although this rate has increased in recent 20 year old, while on 2000 It was from 1%, com from 214 women in its workforce.
Now on PSP and after consultation with “PSP Social Balance Sheet 2022", it turns out that the 31 of December 2022, there were a total number of 21.605 workers, and the police force was 20.262 police elements, that constitute 93,78% of the entire human resources of this FS. In the distribution of PSP workers by gender, it appears that the male gender represents 89,14% and the female gender presents 10,86%, of police personnel and personnel without police functions, thus corresponding to the feminization rate of 10,86%.
About public measures to increase the feminization rate of SF, we consulted the Resolution of the Council of Ministers no. 61/2018 of 21 of May that approves the “National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination 2018-2030", which contains two measures under the responsibility of the GNR and the PSP, which are transcribed below: “Study on the situation of women in the security forces” to be carried out this year 2024 and “Carrying out awareness-raising actions with a view to increasing the number of women in the security forces (in conjunction with the Plan for the Prevention of Manifestations of Discrimination in Security Forces and Services)", whose goal is to carry out two actions in each of the years of 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
From the above, it can be concluded that a study will be published by the end of the year on “The situation of women in the security forces” and with regard to awareness-raising actions with a view to increasing the number of women in the FS, We didn't find any references online, of these actions in the year 2023, Therefore, it cannot be concluded that they were not carried out, however, it would be very strange if they were carried out by the GNR and the PSP and were not widely publicized by both FS on their digital platforms and reported by various media outlets.
But if in Portugal the feminization rate in SF is low, we just need to take a look at our neighbor in Spain, to realize that the problem is similar, but that in the measures adopted it could be an example to follow. So let's see.
In the Civil Guard (GC) the rate of feminization in 2022 It was from 8,75%, having the first woman join that FS in 1988 and the National Police (PN) in the same year was 16,69%, whose first women entered 1979, Therefore, GC and PN implemented a set of measures in 2022, to achieve the objective of having at least 40% of women in recruitment competitions in both FS before 2030.
To this end, GC announced the reservation of a percentage of vacancies for women in all its selection processes, consisting of fixing, in each recruitment process for guard courses, a percentage of vacancies reserved for women, which in each call will oscillate between a minimum of 25% and a maximum of 40%, and to guarantee the percentage of vacancies reserved for women, they will have preference over male candidates as long as, after passing the entrance exam, the difference in points between the two is not greater than 15%.
The PN eliminated the minimum height requirement for women, which was fixed in 1,60 mtr, which represented discrimination against women as it was disproportionate to their average height, as well as access obstacles, that women had due to pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum, women who wish to join the PN can postpone their selection tests if they are pregnant, in labor or postpartum, or even the beginning of the course after passing the admission tests.
In this case of postponement, both women and men who postpone their incorporation into the entry course due to pregnancy, birth, adopting or fostering a minor will be registered as “public servants in training”, so your seniority in the PN will not be jeopardized.
In addition to these measures, already implemented in Spanish counterparts that can be followed by our FS and those included in the National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination 2018-2030, we can still propose, to increase the feminization rate in our FS, the implementation of recruitment campaigns in secondary schools specifically aimed at young women who are finishing secondary school, where career opportunities in FS would stand out, the benefits of joining the GNR and PSP, what are the different careers and opportunities available, whose awareness-raising actions would also be carried out by women from the GNR and PSP.
Another proposed initiative is the creation of support measures throughout the recruitment process, providing personalized guidance and support throughout the selection process and also during the respective training courses, to ensure that women feel supported and encouraged, This support should continue throughout your career, where the reinforcement of work-life balance measures, will play a fundamental role in attracting and retaining women in SF.
Together with strengthening the promotion of gender equality, an inclusive and egalitarian organizational culture should be promoted, where women feel valued and respected at all levels, so we believe that the implementation of these measures, that require continuous commitment on the part of the leaders of both FS, as well as collaboration with other entities and organizations will result in an increase in the rate of feminization in FS, because this will make FS more efficient, fairer and closer, and this will naturally translate into fairer societies, peaceful and prosperous.
