Data just tabled in Parliament show that of the 16.6 lakh police personnel in India in 2011 at the constabulary level, only 93,887 are women. Progress on this count has been halting in the 80 years since India’s first policewoman donned her uniform in Travancore in 1933, but the pace has picked up of late. Nevertheless, representation is uneven across States. Mizoram had no woman in its force in 2011, while Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu had the most, almost doubling their numbers in the two years since 2009. Uttar Pradesh saw a drop, with just 2,354 women personnel in 2011 of a total of 1.87 lakh. Numbers are important. The very presence of women could create an environment for women and those from weaker sections of society to access police stations with less diffidence and difficulty than would otherwise have been the case. A critical mass should be achieved by ensuring that women comprise at least 33 per cent of the constabulary.
Yet, numbers alone will not do. Women in the constabulary must get the training, support and confidence needed to put them on a par in every sense with their male counterparts. A common gender-neutral cadre needs to be created for all ranks so that promotional opportunities are evenly available. Women should be routinely and readily considered for front-line postings at cutting edge levels based on their competence and experience. Resource centres for mentoring, creating awareness about opportunities and prospects, and helping with career planning and training and coping with workplace challenges are essential. Women have a role in making up for the lack of training and sensitisation of the force in general in dealing with crimes against women. At the same time, women constables and officers should not be ghettoised into dealing only with such crimes. As the experience in many countries of the world shows — New York City had its first policewoman as early as in 1845 — there is no policing function that women cannot perform. Given the prevalence of sexist attitudes within the bureaucracy and police, an organisational response from the force is needed to enable women to realise their full potential. The Ministry of Home Affairs should set targets for individual police forces and create a mechanism to monitor female advancement. Grants should be linked to progress achieved. Integrating women in the force should become an essential component of the process of police reform in India, enabling them to become real change agents. Having more women in the force should not be seen as just an expression of the formal fulfilment of sexual equality, important though that goal is. Rather, the contemporary needs of policing also demand it.
Correction
This article has been corrected for an factual error on March 8, 2013
Keywords: role of women police, occupational risks, professional battles, recruitment process, women police stations, crime against women
Of course , the data are not surprising but the today the time has
ripened to take this imperative. We have been enough dictated by the
patriarchal mindset and doctrines;they need to be thrown into garbage
now.
There must be a first step taken by the law makers in achieving a
level playing field for women in this field.Today,they constitute 6%
at constabulary level which is not good.
This will have a direct effect on the incidents of crime against women
citizenry.As we witness the less incidents of reporting due to fear
and apprehensions by the female victims ; when there is a increase in
the women in the force then we can be at least more sure that those
victims may be coming forward.
A very good editorial published on the women's day which clearly
states the need of Women Power in Police department. Considering the
recent set of crimes and rape cases in which cops are also held
responsible, steps like these can curtail such crimes in future.
However as the author correctly points out, Just numbers will not do,
Focus must be given to effective implementation on the basis of proper
training and support to women. It will be better to give martial art
trainings to girl children at school level itself since nowadays most
of the rape victims are below the age of 15. The government must also
try to create an awareness among people in the society in order to
bridge this gender disparity.
I request The Hindu to take the lead in using the right word in the
proper context. For example, the word gender is certainly more
appropriate in the following sentence - "Having more women in the force
should not be seen as just an expression of the formal fulfilment of
sexual equality, important though that goal is".
What is equally important is the fact that these women police officers
should be sensitized to the reality of internalization of patriarchal
indoctrination even by women officers and that they need to break free
of this attitude to be able to handle the women specific issues with
care and sensitivity.
Girls should and must be encouraged to take up police professions from
school days. There should be a gender sensitive comprehensive coursework
along with strong NCC training that would bring faith and belief in our
girls. More number of women should be inducted to services and each
police post must have two or more woman police personnel. An integrated
approach towards refining the present male dominant functionary and
confidence building measures among women police should be in place.
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