On 14 December 2023, ENACT INTERPOL hosted the Webinar “Gender perspective in the use of open -Source Intelligence (OSINT) analysis to disrupt transnational organised crime.” The event was held under the auspices of the ENACT womENACTion initiative and gathered more than 100 experts from the fields of criminal intelligence analysis, security, OSINT and gender from 25 African countries.
In her welcome remarks, ENACT Senior Project Manager at INTERPOL, Ms. Nathalie Richard Bober, stressed that gender is closely tied to the roles that an individual plays in criminal activities as well as to the impact that these activities may have on gender, as evidenced by the ENACT analytical report “Women as actors of transnational organized crime in Africa.” Ms. Elisabete Julio Domingues, ENACT Criminal Intelligence Analyst, provided an OSINT overview, while Ms. Clara Ribeiro Assumpcão PhD researcher and Assistant Lecturer at the Monash University and Consultant at the United Nations, presented the topic “Incorporating gender perspectives into open-source intelligence.” She noted that organised crime is not gender neutral and that gender analysis allows proactive law enforcement action. ENACT Criminal Intelligence Analyst Mr. Serge Epouhe presented analytical tools and resources of mostly free-access, to conduct OSINT analysis. Mr. Christian Ayenengoye, Head of Crime Intelligence Analytical Unit (CIAU) from Gabon delivered a presentation on the Gabon experience in the use of OSINT to collect data highlighting the different steps that the CIAU follows.
This webinar served as a platform to share best practices and provided an opportunity for participants to strengthen their analytical skills as well as integrate gender in open-source intelligence analysis.
The ENACT womENACTion initiative launched in 2022 provides a virtual networking environment dedicated to African female law enforcement working on organised crime and criminal intelligence analysis. It aims to assist in sharing of experiences, tools and resources to contribute to female development and increase knowledge on gender mainstreaming among law enforcement agencies in Africa.
