Day: May 22, 2010

That women complaint units are reportedly being established in two police stations in Islamabad is an encouraging step towards gender-sensitive policing. The initiative is meant to curb the obstruction of justice and the custodial abuse of women.

However, it remains to be seen whether these units can actually help bring about qualitative change in police attitudes towards women. If this intervention is to make any difference, complaint units will have to be established in all the federal capital’s 14 police stations. To lessen women’s reluctance to approach male-dominated police stations, facilitate victims of gender violence and ensure that women are not abused in custody, broader reforms that address the inherent gender bias of the police force are also needed.

So far, measures to educate the police force about the rights of women have seen only limited success in the establishment of a small number of women police stations.

It is commonly reported that these stations lack basic facilities and trained staff, as well as the authority to register FIRs and carry out investigations. This has prompted accusations that government interventions for gender-sensitive policing lack seriousness of purpose. Lending support to the argument that reforms have only addressed the issue at a superficial level is the inadequate representation of women in our police force. For instance, there are only 165 women – including two DSPs and 137 constables – in the capital’s existing 9,600 police corps.

Not surprisingly, there are hardly any women in meaningful command and operational positions. It has also been pointed out that changing the current mind-set of our police force requires more than gender-sensitive training on how to handle cases of domestic violence, harassment at workplaces and sexual assault. Any strategy aimed at changing police attitudes towards women will have to encourage a greater number of women to enter the force.

Source: Dawn

Date:5/22/2010

LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed concern over release of a policeman who was among the accused detained in connection with the rape of a 13-year-old girl in police custody.

In a statement issued here on Friday, the HRCP said: “It is a cause for grave concern that a policeman in custody over his role in the rape of a girl was allowed to escape. The girl was raped in the Wah Cantonment police station over a period of 21 days.

“ What is even more distressing is the fact that the escape was facilitated at the behest of a prominent elected parliamentarian. Unfortunately, elected representatives, irrespective of their political affiliation, have frequently played a negative role in disregard of people’s rights and demands of criminal justice in order to rescue their goons. This time the parliamentarian in question happens to be affiliated with the PML-N.

“ All political parties are expected to demonstrate to the people through their actions that they are not paying mere lip service to the principle of judicial independence and people’s rights. Not only is it expected of the political parties, but it is also in their interest to be seen to be standing with the victim and not the perpetrators of such appalling abuse of human rights and dignity.While due process of law is supposed to act as a deterrent to crime and violation of rights, allowing impunity to the perpetrators achieves the opposite result.”

It demanded the policeman must be rearrested at the earliest and brought to justice along with the other accused.

It must also be ensured that the parliamentarian in question stepped back and that political influence was not allowed to interfere with the course of justice, the HRCP demanded.

Source: Dawn

Date:5/22/2010