Gender Capacity Building of the Police at the Department of Public Safety in FSM

As part of Go Equal’s consultancy for implementing the Gender Equity Program across World Bank transport sector projects in FSM, the Go Equal team delivered targeted gender awareness training to about 40 Police Officers at the Department of Public Safety across multiple states.

Gender equality, gender-based violence, and sexual harassment had not previously featured in their professional training, with many officers reporting that this was the first training of this kind they had ever attended, in some cases after more than two decades of service.

This training gap is what Go Equal is addressing throughthis program. Delivered across two field missions to FSM in March and September 2025, the program equipped officers with foundational knowledge across two core areas, the first focusing concepts of gender equality and inclusion, including the distinction between sex and gender, gender roles and norms, and the importance of building inclusive institutions. The second, looking at the nature and impacts of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment, with a particular focus on challenging victim-blaming attitudes that can undermine effective and compassionate responses.

Sessions were designed to be interactive and practically focused, enabling officers to connect new concepts to the realities of their day-to-day roles. Participant feedback consistently reflected a meaningful shift in understanding, with many officers acknowledging that the training had changed how they viewed their responsibilities toward women and vulnerable community members.

This training forms an integral part of the broader safeguarding framework required under the World Bank’s infrastructure projects, ensuring that the institutions responsible for public safety across all four states are equipped to uphold gender-responsive standards throughout project implementation.