Islamabad, 29 August 2023 (TDI): In partnership with Pakistan, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and the U.S. Embassy’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) have effectively completed the three-year $3.5 million Police Awam Saath Saath Program.
The programme has officially culminated at an event organised yesterday. This collaborative effort aimed to achieve specific goals within the realm of law enforcement.
The program’s primary goal was to improve the recruitment, retention, and empowerment of women police officers. Notably, it has made substantial strides in advancing gender equality within the realm of law enforcement.
The program achieved several significant accomplishments. It upgraded training courses at the National Police Academy. It also successfully increased women’s representation in the police force by over 20% in KP and Balochistan.
This was done through comprehensive support and training for women police aspirants. The program also formed Women Police Councils for better representation.
Furthermore, it trained 1,800 women police officers in Punjab to serve as victim support officers.
Moreover, the programme provided training for trans-victim support officers in Punjab, focusing on trauma-informed policing. Lastly, it played a pivotal role in creating gender-sensitive policies and support mechanisms for women officers.
Also Read: Women Police Conference on Gender Responsive Police
Imran Khan, the Country Director of USIP, during his opening remarks at the event, welcomed guests.
He expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the programme. He underlined the importance of making significant advancements in empowering women in law enforcement.
Moreover, Khan highlighted having more women in the police force not only promotes gender equality but also makes the police work better overall.
Andrew Schofer, Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Embassy, reiterated the United States’ commitment to aiding efforts that encourage fairness and justice.
He assured Pakistan’s advocates for women in policing that the U.S. is alongside them, dedicated to increasing female officers, raising their status, and promoting peace, security, and justice for everyone.
Prominent speakers, such as Director Ehsan Sadiq, NACTA’s Ihsan Ghani Khan, Adnan Rafiq from the Planning Commission, and Inspector General Sultan Ali Khowaja, recognized women’s significance in the police force. They also discussed government initiatives to support this cause.
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