Women are still under-represented in law enforcement and prosecution in the Western Balkans.

Traditionally, policing has been a man’s world, not least in the Balkans. But this is changing in some countries in the region, driven in part by the EU accession process. In terms of prosecution services, some Western Balkan countries surpass EU standards when it comes to overall gender representation. That said, across both the police and prosecution, there is a dearth of women in leadership positions. The challenge will be to empower women in these sectors to enhance gender parity and improve the operational effectiveness of police and prosecution offices.

In the Western Balkans, as in many parts of the world, policing has long been a male-dominated profession. This is partly due to prevailing stereotypes of both gender and policing, namely that the latter is a confrontational and physically demanding job requiring strength, authority and resilience¹ – traits associated, rightly or wrongly, with men.² As a result, women have traditionally been under-represented in police services in the Western Balkans, particularly in leadership positions.

In Kosovo, women make up less than 15% of the police force.

Photo: Kosovo Police via Radio Kontakt Plus

However, opinions and policies are changing. ‘Diversity matters and for all the right reasons,’ notes Catherine de Bolle, Executive Director of Europol. ‘Policing is a job that is equally fitting for men as for women. Law enforcement should be a mirror to society and gender balanced. There are enough studies to prove this.’³

Indeed, studies have shown that a more gender equal police force brings diverse perspectives and experiences to the table. This leads to more inclusive and effective policing strategies that not only better serve all citizens, but also result in tangible improvements in efficiency as well as fostering trust and collaboration between communities and the police.⁴ Women often excel in areas such as communication, conflict resolution and community engagement — skills that are essential for an institution mandated to protect and serve the public.

Furthermore, a gender-balanced force is particularly effective in addressing cases involving domestic violence and sexual assault. Given that domestic violence makes up around one in six crimes reported to the police and 35% of women globally experience gender-based violence within their lifetime,⁵ it is crucial to ensure an adequate representation of female officers, who are better placed to provide support and empathy to victims than their male colleagues.

Room for improvement

Greater representation of women in policing is not only a reflection of changing attitudes in society and towards policing, it is also being spurred by the EU accession process and broader international commitments such as the UN Women, Peace and Security agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.⁶ Gender equality is not only a core value but also a fundamental right recognized by the EU.⁷ As a result, it is a key element of criminal justice reform for Western Balkan countries engaged in the process of moving closer to EU norms and commitments.

However, female representation in law enforcement in Western Balkan countries is often below the EU average of 18.5%.⁸ According to recent research by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, Serbia and North Macedonia surpass the EU average, with women constituting 27% and 21% of their respective national forces.⁹ However, Kosovo (14.8%), Albania (14.3%) and Montenegro (13.8%) are below the average, and Bosnia and Herzegovina trails considerably behind with a mere 9% of the police force being made up of women.¹⁰

Women are particularly under-represented in leadership positions. In Albania, 10% of police directors are women, while the percentage of female first directors is only 3%.¹¹ In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the figures are similar, with women occupying just 7% of leadership positions.¹² As shown in Figure 1, leadership positions in Kosovo’s police force are overwhelmingly held by men. The situation is even worse in Montenegro where no women currently hold top managerial positions.¹³ At the other end of the scale are Serbia and North Macedonia, where women hold 18.6% and 17.8% of leadership positions respectively.¹⁴

The establishment of associations of female police officers, alongside other efforts such as national gender equality strategies (including the Kosovo Police’s 2021–2023 gender equality agenda) signal a growing recognition of the need for gender balance.¹⁵ Such initiatives seek to empower women within the force, including through mentorship, leadership development and targeted recruitment events.

However, the persistence of deep-seated prejudices within the region’s police forces create barriers to promotion. Political influence further complicates the situation, often skewing recruitment and promotion processes (particularly for senior positions) away from merit-based selection and towards decisions influenced by party affiliations.¹⁶ This is a key factor in limiting the number of women in leadership roles and slowing the broader cultural evolution of police forces.

To move beyond token gestures, it is essential to empower women in a myriad of ways and more importantly to focus on tackling the deep-rooted, often macho cultures that pose a challenge to police forces. Political influences that undermine merit-based processes must be addressed, ensuring that recruitment and promotions within the police are based on competence and integrity rather than political considerations.

Increasing the representation of women in police forces should not be a box-ticking exercise to conform to EU standards and requirements. It is a vital step toward improving institutional integrity, enhancing public trust and ensuring that law enforcement agencies reflect the diverse societies they serve.

Prosecution: Setting the standard for gender equality

While the police and many other sectors within the criminal justice system in the Western Balkans struggle to achieve gender equality, prosecution offices stand out as leaders in gender representation, often surpassing EU standards. In several Western Balkan countries, women hold a significant presence in prosecutorial roles, reflecting a more balanced and inclusive approach within the legal system.

For example, in Montenegro 62% of state prosecutors are women — significantly higher than the European average of 54%.¹⁷ The majority of prosecutors in North Macedonia are women (55%),¹⁸ including 43% of leadership positions (up from 15% in 2012).¹⁹

In contrast, Kosovo, with 42.6% female representation in prosecution positions,²⁰ falls short of the European average. More concerning is the stark under-representation of women in leadership positions, since only 3% of these roles are held by women.²¹ This disparity highlights significant barriers to female advancement within Kosovo’s prosecutorial system.

In Serbia, while 60.2% of prosecutors are women,²² men continue to dominate leadership roles. For example, in the higher public prosecutor offices, men hold 15 out of 25 high offices.²³ This signifies a persistent glass ceiling, reflecting traditional gender roles.

Albania, while boasting 47.2% female representation at the first instance court level, experiences a sharp decline in female participation at higher levels, with only 20% representation in the Supreme Court and a mere 8.6% in leading prosecutorial positions.²⁴

These disparities underscore the ongoing challenges in achieving true gender equality within the prosecutorial systems of the Western Balkans. While countries such as Montenegro and North Macedonia exceed or meet the European average, the persistent male dominance in leadership positions across the region suggests that there is still much work to be done.

Additionally, reducing political influence on appointments and promotions is crucial to fostering a merit-based system that genuinely reflects the capabilities and contributions of female prosecutors. Achieving this will not only bring the region in line with European standards, but also strengthen the overall integrity and effectiveness of its prosecutorial systems.

Efforts by female police officer associations across the region, such as the Women’s Police Association of Montenegro, have been instrumental in promoting gender equality. These organizations — through initiatives like mentorship programmes, leadership training and advocacy for inclusive policies — empower women, foster professional growth and work to break down gender barriers within the field.

Bridging the gap

To build on these efforts, it is essential that Western Balkan countries implement specific recruitment targets for women within both police forces and prosecution offices, especially in leadership roles, while also developing comprehensive mentorship and leadership development programmes to support their career progression.²⁵ Targets should also be accompanied by continuous education that challenges stereotypes and empowers women to take on decision-making roles.²⁶ Additionally, improving the selection and training of managerial staff will help drive systemic change within these institutions.

Another crucial step is enhancing the mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on the progress of gender equality initiatives. This will ensure that policies are not just theoretical but translate into actionable steps that lead to tangible improvements.

Finally, ongoing advocacy and public awareness campaigns are required to shift societal perceptions of law enforcement as a male-dominated field. By highlighting the contributions of women and fostering a more inclusive environment, the region can attract a more gender diverse talent pool to careers in law enforcement. Empowering women in the police and prosecution is not only about meeting international standards, but also enriching the operational effectiveness of police and prosecution offices, enhancing community trust, and ultimately contributing to the stability and security of Western Balkan countries as they progress towards EU integration.

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