On Monday 21st May, Sussex Police joined forces from across the UK at New Scotland Yard for an event intended to further enforce the police’s commitment to the global HeForShe campaign, of which Sussex Police are Thematic Champions for.
HeForShe is a global organisation, begun by the UN, that kickstarted in 2014. The organisation is grounded by the idea that gender equality is for all humans, and makes a call for men and boys to “build on the work of the women’s movement as equal partners, crafting and implementing a shared vision of gender equality that will benefit all of humanity.”
Of the seven ‘Thematic Champions’ listed on the HeForShe wesbite, Chief Constable of Sussex Police, Giles York, is one, and he is in very good comany, with Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, listed as another.
The organistion enlisted the help of ‘Thematic Champions’ who, according to the HeForShe website, represent a “designated a focus area and actively leverage their unique resources, networks and specialized skills to drive for the concrete change that is fundamental to gender equality.” Of the seven ‘Thematic Champions’ listed on the HeForShe website, Chief Constable of Sussex Police, Giles York, is one, and he is in very good comany, with Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, listed as another.
Constable York has said that his dedication to the HeForShe movement stems from both his work and family: “As a leader, son, husband and father, I believe that enabling true gender equality is a shared responsibility.”
The meeting on Monday, which was hosted by Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt, saw members of Police forces across the UK join representatives from the UN and the Home Office and come together to pledge their commitment to “aspiring to improve the gender imbalances at senior levels within policing”, amongst other moves towards gender equality.
Commissioner Martin Hewitt said of the meeting that “Today is an important day. The Met has long been committed to diversity across the force to reflect the communities it serves, and we pride ourselves on being an equal opportunities organisation.” However, he went on to say that there is a lot more to on the path towards gender equality, but believes that “As a senior male officer, affirming our ongoing commitment to gender equality by supporting the HeForShe campaign is another step forward.”
For more information on the HeForShe movement, and Sussex police’s involvement as Thematic Champions, please see their website.