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Afghan women have made significant gains in the past decade. Women have not only won back rights such as voting, education and jobs, but also are beginning to have a strong presence in the Afghan National Police force; working side by side with their male counter parts assisting in security operations throughout the country. This is an important milestone in their progress since the Afghan police force is often faced with major challenges when conducting security or investigative operations that may involve dealing with women. According to a report recently published by Oxfam, violence against women has risen by 25 percent since 2012 and most often women have never even seen female police officers in their communities, let alone report a crime to one and receive the justice they desperately need. Two provinces, Panjshir and Nuristan, as reported have no policewomen at all. This makes the presence of women in the police force very important and urgent, not only in reducing violence against them but also in ensuring their safety. At present about 99 percent of the police force in Afghanistan is male, but the good news is that in some provinces like Kandahar, for example, the number of female recruits has risen from 30 to 80 as was recently reported by Kandahar Police Chief. This is great achievement in not only reducing violence against women but also ensuring their safety and that of all Afghans.
Can female police officers make a difference in bringing peace, security, and stability to their communities?
Aria2013
DET-CENTCOM
Can female police officers make a difference in bringing peace, security, and stability to their communities?
Aria2013
DET-CENTCOM
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