Global issue: Gender-sensitive policing a must for peaceful society, say experts

Conference on gender issues stresses change in response to gender-based violence.

ISLAMABAD: Gender responsive policing and implementation of laws in letter and spirit can foster peaceful societies.

This was the crux at a conference where police officers from around 20 countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, along with international human rights activists, philanthropists and gender experts, gathered to advocate the need for a gender-sensitised police force.



The three-day conference, titled “International Gender Responsive Policing (GRP)” was held at Serena Hotel on Monday.

The conference stimulated debate on gender issues, highlighting positive developments towards improving police response to gender-based violence worldwide and focused on emerging challenges and priorities to ensure a substantial road map towards achieving gender-just policing practices.

National Police Bureau (NPB) Director General Ihsan Ghani said the vision for organising such a conference was to generate useful dialogue among participating countries for moving forward and stimulating actions to improve the role and status of women in policing worldwide, with enhanced services for women victims of violence.



Ghani further said the inclusion of women in police was imperative to make the force a fully representative institution. “Presently, women constitute about one per cent of our total police strength, which is far from the satisfactory level of gender composition,” he said. He, however, said that due to the efforts of NPB and the GRP project almost all police organisations have announced increased quota for women recruitment.

Almut Knopp, the first secretary at the German embassy in Pakistan, said cooperation of the German and Pakistani government in promoting good governance was of strategic importance for Germany’s overall development projects in Pakistan. “It is heartening to see that Government of Pakistan has a vision to empower women police that can change police services for women victims of violence.”

GRP Project Principal Adviser Dr Khola Iram said gatherings such as this will give a holistic picture of gender-based crimes and stressed that society as a whole has a shared responsibility to fight crimes against women.

The chief guest of the event, Ministry of Interior Additional Secretary Hamid Ali Khan, said women were the backbone of any nation and must not be neglected. “We have seen a real transformation in women’s position in our society and the government fully supports all positive initiatives for the enhanced status of women,” he said.



While giving presentation on interpreting Quran for women protection, Ratna Osman from Malaysia said the Holy Book introduced women to the rights of marriage, divorce and inheritance.

On the subject of social media and how it was reshaping generations, Zafarullah Khan, a speaker, said Pakistan was ranked 28 in the world for internet usage and many women who were shy in traditionally gained confidence through social media.

While commenting on the criminal justice system, Justice (retired) Nasira Javaid Iqbal said the role of women police cannot be denied as they represent half of society. She added that implementation of the laws will result in effective decrease in gender base violence.

The conference aims to encourage police institutions in participating countries to undertake initiatives that address gender-related challenges and promote gender-sensitive policing practices while building democratic and inclusive police services supporting increased participation of women in law-enforcement with an enhanced role.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2014.