Gender-based analysis plus

The International Policing Program recognizes the importance of women's equal participation and full involvement in conflict resolution, peace-building, and peacekeeping. It seeks to further support women in fulfilling this active role by incorporating gender perspectives in program decisions, seeking opportunities to train female police officers in foreign countries to participate in missions, and targeting international deployment opportunities and senior positions that support this important work.

At the February 2020 session of the United Nations Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, the importance of women in all aspects of the peace process and of providing them full, equal, and meaningful participation was reinforced. This is an ongoing Canadian approach and the RCMP continually seeks out leadership and impactful roles. Notably, in 2019-20, 60% of the RCMP's Contingent Commanders were women.

The RCMP continued to actively support the United Nations efforts to recruit more women for peace missions, with a goal of reaching or exceeding the UN target of a 22 percent participation rate. For 2019-20, 20 out of 72 long-term Canadian Police Arrangement (CPA) deployments were female (27.78%), meeting and slightly exceeding the UN goal. The International Policing Program also completed an analysis on barriers that may prevent women from participating in peace missions. In collaboration with police services partners, the RCMP will develop an implementation plan in 2020-21 to make appropriate program changes and improvements.

Canadian police officers were highly regarded for promoting women's rights and gender equality and some officers worked directly in gender-related roles, such as gender advisors or human rights mentors, in Haiti, Ukraine, and Iraq. Canadian police also directly supported efforts to prevent, address, and investigate sexual and gender-based violence incidents.

The RCMP continued to ensure that Canadian police officers deployed overseas on peace operations missions are trained with an enhanced capacity to prevent, report, and manage sexual and genderbased violence incidents in conflict environments. Addressing violence against women and children is of paramount importance to empower gender equality and establish rule of law.

Through its international capacity building efforts, the RCMP cultivated sustainable change by implementing programs that considered human rights, gender equality impacts, and the prevention of sexual/gender-based violence.

Air Services considered GBA+ factors in all its operational environments, including current GBA+ accommodations on aircraft ergonomics, which were consistent with aviation industry best practices and design standards for certification. Furthermore, in program developments, such as new aircrew life support equipment (flight suits), GBA+ considerations ensured compatibility with gender and size requirements of RCMP personnel.

A GBA+ analysis will underpin the Modernization Strategy for Police and Public Safety Intervention Equipment to ensure all equipment is adjusted to the operator. Extensive research and evaluation will continue to consider the diverse needs of RCMP personnel and ultimately inform future decisions about equipment and training, thereby ensuring optimal performance and safety for all RCMP members.

RCMP Recruitment modernization efforts have included a review of existing mandatory applicant requirements – which may include, for example, possessing a driver's licence, the ability to relocate across Canada, and the ability to work full-time hours – as these may have differential impacts on some groups and result in a less diverse applicant pool. Early results from this review led to the elimination of the driver's licence requirement for applicants in northern communities. Additional analysis is underway to determine if further modifications to these requirements could result in a more diverse applicant pool.

In 2019-20 the RCMP developed a guide to support Transgender, Non-Binary and Two-Spirit employees (TNB2S), in consultation with internal and external individuals and organizations. It provides guidance on creating an inclusive workplace for TNB2S employees by discussing: roles and responsibilities of all employees; barriers, key issues and considerations to ensure RCMP policies and practices are inclusive of TNB2S people; and practical information to help TNB2S employees – and their managers – navigate through processes to change their lived gender identity at work.

In 2019-20, AIM led a project to update the RCMP uniform and dress policy to reflect diversity and inclusion priorities, including the removal of binary gender. Opportunities were identified to enhance reconciliation efforts, and a national survey was developed on the operational uniform to identify the fit and functional needs of a diverse workforce. Results from the survey will inform a pilot to identify new operational uniform items, including pants, shirts, faith-based headdresses and other items.

In December 2019, the RCMP's SEC adopted the findings from the GBA+ of the Awards and Recognition Policy. As such, the RCMP Awards and Recognition program will recognize all forms of leave without pay – such as parental leave – towards eligibility for the RCMP's Long Service Award. This change in policy will also be applied to previously excluded Regular Members. Further analysis will be undertaken to identify other opportunities to modernize eligibility and selection for RCMP awards, such as with the Commissioner's Commendation Award.