Honourable Chief Guest, Minister for Home Affairs, Advocate Shahara Khatun

Honourable Special Guests:

• Honourable State Minister for Home Affairs, Advocate Shamsul Hoque Tuku;
• Honourable State Minister for Women & Children Affairs, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury;
• Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mustaq Ahmed;
• Inspector General of Bangladesh Police, Hassan Mahmood Khandker;
• Additional IGP & National Project Director, Police Reform Programme, Mokhlesur Rahman;
• President, International Association of Women Police (IAWP), Jane Townsley; and
• President, Bangladesh Police Women’s Network (BPWN), Rowshan Ara Begum;
• Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
  

Good morning to all of you! I am very happy to be here at this ground-breaking initiative of Bangladesh Police Women’s Network.

Let me start by making a very clear statement:

Gender equality is not just a fundamental human right: it is an imperative for any country that aspires to achieve maximum levels of happiness, health, economic development and political stability. These are great words, but let me assure you, they are more than that. The EVIDENCE is clear: targeted and effective investment in strengthening women’s political participation, in women’s economic empowerment and in their health and in their education, translates into NATIONAL gains across a broad range of indicators that measure any country’s success.

Over the past several decades, the United Nations has supported a wide range of initiatives. Some of these have helped to develop the strong evidence base that documents how investments in women give a strong rate of return, not only in increased income, but in the health and well-being of children. We have supported the series of World Conferences on Women, dating back to the beginning of Bangladeshi independence. Most of the Conferences have led to concrete commitments by Government leaders to achieving gender equality.  We can also point to the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Goals, or MDG’s, and the highly regarded Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women – CEDAW, as we define our objectives with regards to gender equality in the world.

Here today, however, we are not talking about gender equality in the broadest sense, but rather in a very specific way. We want to know, why should we emphasize Women police? We want to know: What does it mean? Does it work? What are the challenges? In fact, this two-day conference on “Leadership for Police Women -- Asia” will address exactly these questions! Participants themselves are evidence of the role of women in police organizations, regionally and internationally. The agenda allows us to discuss the latest international approaches of women policing. And throughout, I am sure that many of you will be identifying the challenges women face in policing careers, and sharing your ideas on how to meet those challenges.

In these introductory remarks, I would like to quickly summarize, why women’s policing, and what does it mean? I would like to briefly highlight the national context, and commitments to, gender equality. I will talk about the gender-sensitive priorities of the Bangladeshi police and the initiatives they are undertaking towards these excellent objectives.

The inclusion of women in the police is internationally recognized as an integral part of improving the quality of the service that is rendered by the police. Since 2009, the United Nations has pursued a global policy of helping Governments to recruit more women into national police services, and, importantly, into UN police operations, based on the FACT that women police officers help to build trust with communities and they inspire other women to join the police service.[1]  The impact of the contribution of police women in every aspect of policing is real and even quantifiable, be it in operations, investigations, community policing or in prosecutions.

Gender mainstreaming[2] in police reform efforts is an imperative. Yes, it is easy to say, but what does it mean? To mainstream gender in policing in Bangladesh, we increase the numbers of women police and we address, explicitly, the following issues:

• Develop women leaders in policing;
• Create a representative and more effective police service;
• Ensure human rights and non-discriminatory practices;
• Recognize and implement best practices on role of women police in the UN Peacekeeping missions, here at home;
• Support to community policing and especially the gender checklist;
• Build the capacity of women police to improve service delivery to citizens, especially to women and children, women victims and survivors;
• Raise the profile of women police; and
• Develop a conducive work and operational environment for women police.[3]
  

The Government of Bangladesh is deeply committed to these objectives. We have with us today, several examples of what that commitment means in terms of its leadership: The Minister for Home Affairs, the Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, and the Inspector General of Bangladeshi Police. The evidence of their commitment is not only their presence here today: it is the many actions that they have taken towards strengthening women’s policing, that make the difference.

Another interesting measure of Government’s commitment is the contribution of the first ever all women contingent of women police in UN Peace Keeping missions. I am especially proud of the involvement of Bangladeshi police women in UN missions. I know for a fact, from friends and colleagues serving in those missions, that the Bangladeshi women’s police contingent has created, not only a positive image of Bangladesh, but also of police women. There is little doubt their participation in these missions has increased the capacity of participating women police officers, which in turn has led to increased leadership roles when they return home to Bangladesh. Police women have proven their ability to carry out such missions under difficult circumstances, such as in 2010, when an all women police battalion of 100 members was sent to Haiti after the devastating earthquake there. In such ways, police women have been challenging the stereotypes about women’s abilities and demonstrated that they can deal with serious crimes and other tasks previously considered only the domain of male officers.

Next, please allow me to mention the Government’s policies in terms of gender equality, and in terms of Women’s Policing:

First, the 6^th Five Year Plan of the Government of Bangladesh consistently recognizes the importance of establishing equal opportunities for women in all sections of society. Essentially, the Plan acknowledges the critical role of women in nation building. The Plan places particular emphasis on gender and on the social inclusion aspects of development. The Plan also recognizes that women are a heterogeneous group, such that their situations, deprivations, and needs vary according to their locations within various communities, religions, and regions.[4]

Second, the National Women’s Development Policy (NWDP) of 2011 is a very important and ground breaking policy document for Bangladesh. I believe that if the Policy is effectively implemented that it will bring meaningful changes in justice for women and in equality between men and women.

Within this framework, the Police Reform Programme (PRP) in Bangladesh has been working in very close collaboration with our partners in the Police to implement actions that contribute to gender equality, to reducing violence against women and that strengthen the role of women police. The National Women’s Policy has given great importance to the implementation of the Domestic Violence - Protection and Prevention Act. PRP is working in collaboration with a wide range of partners to implement this Law. I would like to especially commend the efforts of the Bangladesh Police to build their capacity to deal with domestic violence cases.

Bangladesh Police are working hard to implement many initiatives that are directly consistent with the goals’ of the Women’s Policy and the Police Reform Project is a proud partner in many of these initiatives, for example: 

• The Women’s Policy emphasizes the establishment of Victim Support Centres (VSC) under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Bangladesh Police has established two Victim Support Centres, which are exclusively run by women police officers and that work together with 10 NGOs to provide effective support and services to women victims.
• The Women’s Policy urges for an end to trafficking of women, and for the provision of rehabilitation for victims of trafficking.
• The Women’s Policy focuses on gender sensitization among different branches of service-providing agencies, including the police service. Many initiatives to increase gender sensitivity throughout the police service are underway, such as:
  • A Gender Sensitive Policing Module has been developed and nearly 100 Police officers now serve as master trainers for the Bangladesh Police. The training has been delivered to more than 1200 police officers, with numbers growing. 
  • Gender orientation workshops are being facilitated at police stations to increase gender responsiveness.
  • Bangladesh Police Women’s Network (BPWN) was created to promote gender mainstreaming in Bangladesh Police and recruitment of women police.
  • Six newly completed Model Thanas were designed with accommodation wings for women.
    

All of these are very positive steps towards ensuring gender equality in the police service, and in Bangladesh Police’s interactions with citizens. Yet, and I believe that our senior government officials here with us today would agree, there is still more to be done. Perhaps the single most important aspect, we need more women in the Bangladeshi police. Women are under-represented in law enforcement in Bangladesh and increasing their numbers is critical to sustainable reform. For example, we know that retention and effective deployment of women police is directly linked to the sustainability of crime prevention and community policing, as more female investigating officers will encourage more women to assist the police with investigations and prosecutions.

But “doing more” goes beyond simple numbers. What are the “Future initiatives” – the priority areas, identified by the Bangladeshi police for mainstreaming gender? 

First, let’s highlight that one of the core values of the present Strategic Plan of Bangladesh Police is gender neutrality through mutual respect, service and empathy.

Other specific areas have been identified by Bangladesh Police for mainstreaming gender:

• Development of a Gender Policy, with the provision that gender issues are taken into account in shaping all institutional policies and working procedures;
• Promotion of Gender Awareness/Training: Attitude and behavior of police officials should take into account special needs of women. Implementation of specific procedures for treatment of and interaction with women, children and other vulnerable groups;
• Define targets to increase women’s representation and capacity in policing: increase the number of women police by 15% at the level of Sub-Inspector and Constable, and by 10% in the BCS cadre at the level of Assistant Superintendent of Police;
• Ensure improved victim support through effective services for victims & survivors.
• Strengthen institutional support mechanisms for women such as the police women’s network.
  

In conclusion, I will say only two things.

First, leadership matters. While most people will agree and understand that leadership at the top matters, I am saying much more. It is leadership of every individual that matters. All of you here today are leaders in your own sphere of influence. I ask you to assume leadership, make things happen around you, that strengthens gender equality, that doesn’t accept inappropriate behavior towards women in general, or towards colleagues that you work with. I will say it again: this leadership matters!

And secondly, follow the evidence! Do not accept patronizing comments that we work towards gender equality because the women need our help! Rather, focus on the national achievements that will surely come out of gender equality! Talk about the stronger, smarter children that grow into the next generation of leaders, when gender equality prevails. The evidence is clear. And those of you with a police background will understand: the evidence documents the importance AND the urgency of working towards gender equality.

Thank you all very much and I wish your Conference great success.