NO amount of ‘gender sensitisation’ of Pakistan’s police force can make up for the abysmal numbers of women within its ranks. According to data compiled by the National Police Bureau, out of 391,364 police personnel across the country, only 5,731 are women — a ratio of less than 2pc. A region-wise breakdown puts Gilgit-Baltistan, where women make up 3.4pc of the police cadre, at the top of the table. Balochistan comes in last, after Islamabad, Punjab, Kashmir, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunknwa: out of a total of 32,850 personnel in the province, only 156 — in other words 0.48pc — are women. And in the latter instance, virtually all of them are serving at the lowest tier as constables. Officials from NPB cited cultural norms and institutional apathy towards female recruitment as contributing factors. Even though the overall ratio has gone up since last year when it was less than 1pc, women, according to them, should comprise at least 10pc of the police force.

Law enforcement has been the subject of much research worldwide, which has proved time and again that women officers bring distinct advantages to policing, including better communication and interpersonal skills that are vital in de-escalating fraught situations before they turn violent. However, in the culture of machismo that prevails in our part of the world, especially since terrorism became a major threat, policing is equated with brute force. It has become reactive rather than preventive. Muscular strength is seen as a prerequisite, whereas studies show that it is the quality of training — not to mention inherent traits such as integrity and sense of responsibility — that makes the difference between a good cop and a bad one. In a conservative society like ours, well-equipped women police stations are also a vital tool in fighting gender-based violence because victims are far more likely to report such crimes to female police personnel. Unfortunately, the general image of police culture as a male domain — boorish, crass and sexist — where females only play a peripheral role means that few women consider law enforcement as a viable career option. To overcome the appalling gender imbalance, there needs to be a well-thought-out strategy to recruit and retain women: it must offer them attractive benefits, skills enhancement training and paths to career progression. Women entering the force also need role models — in other words, they need to see female personnel serving in senior positions. That would also do the policemen some good.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2017