UN
Afghanistan’s first female district police chief paves way for women
KABUL - She was supposed to be an engineer. But Jamila Bayaz lasted a year studying engineering at Kabul University before finally convincing her family to let her join Afghanistan’s police force.
That was three decades ago when such a career for a woman in Afghanistan was widely considered astounding.
Even today, there are only about 2,000 female personnel in the Afghan National Police (ANP), including those working in administrative roles. This makes up just over one per cent of the country’s 147,000-strong police force – well below the government’s target of recruiting 10,000 policewomen by the end of this year, according to the latest report of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Afghan female police face a range of risks and challenges in going about their work. Most police stations do not cater for female employees, lacking basic facilities such as separate toilets. There are cases of harassment by male colleagues and of insults and violence directed at policewomen by the community members they are serve.
“There are threats, including insecurity, which are prevalent in this country. But this is the path that I’ve chosen. This is my duty and I go on, step by step, so I’m not frightened at all,” Col. Bayaz said in an interview organized with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) as part of its observance of International Women’s Day (8 March).
Having risen through the ranks in one of the world’s toughest policing environments, in January, Colonel Bayaz became Afghanistan’s first female district police chief. She now runs one of Kabul’s most important police districts, which includes the Presidential Palace and the central bank. Her district has close to 300 police personnel, including eight women.
Following Col. Bayaz’s appointment as the police chief of Kabul District One on 14 January, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs said in a news release that it is planning “to reinforce the role of female police by posting them in leadership roles.” In the news release, the Kabul Police Chief, Gen. Zahir Zahir, also praised Col. Bayaz’s services while she was serving in the Criminal Investigation Department of Kabul security commandment.
Col. Bayaz is determined to encourage a new generation of professional policewomen in the country.
“My message to all my Afghan sisters and also to women all over the world is that they should fight against any inequality to gain whatever they believe are their rights from their perspective,” she said.
Col. Bayaz is part of the UNDP’s global campaign for International Women's Day, highlighting "firsts" for women. In a news release issued on the eve of the International Day, the UN system in Afghanistan expressed its recommitment to help improve gender equality and women’s empowerment in the country.
For Afghanistan to build an effective civilian police service that reflects the diverse society it works in, there is crucial role for female police, according to UNDP’s Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA), which supports ANP personnel in a range of areas including empowerment of female police, boosting their numbers and improving their work environments.
“Gender segregation in Afghan society prevents most women and girls from approaching male police officers to report crimes, hence the importance of having policewomen available to respond,” states LOTFA.
UNDP provides a range of support for gender equality in Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs, which oversees the national police force. The UN programme notes there has been progress with the recruitment, training and promotion of policewomen, but the gains are hard-won and cannot be taken for granted.
[This article is the slightly revised version of a UNDP article published earlier this week.]
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- UNDP training for Afghanistan’s female police officers to improve policing
