\KHYBER: In a major shift from the local cultural norms, women residents are approaching the “women’s desk” at the Bara police station here with complaints for necessary action.

The one-room facility, the first of its kind in the merged tribal districts with a two-member female staff, has received over 100 complaints since its establishment in December last year, with nearly 50 per cent resolved through mediation and in accordance with local customs.

Most complaints were about domestic violence, inheritance rights, expulsion from homes, confiscation of dowry, while a few cases of forced marriage were also reported, according to head of the women’s desk Gulalai Afridi.

Ms Afridi and her colleague, Aaisha, from the Shalobar and Qambarkhel tribes, respectively, underwent training at the Hangu Police Training Centre to effectively assist women complainants while being sensitive to local culture and traditions.

DPO says such facilities to be opened in Landi Kotal, Jamrud as well

They said the first two months were a bit dull, as the majority of the local women were not aware of the initiative.

However, the number of female complainants rapidly increased in the next three months as the desk was repeatedly publicised through social media and its contact numbers were displayed in prominent places, according to them.

They insisted such centres were required in other parts of the district as well to cater to thousands of women, who couldn’t afford to travel to the Bara centre from their far-off localities.

Ms Afridi and Aaisha said though the male staff members of Bara police station were very polite and well-mannered and provided them with security and necessary facilities, the majority of women avoided visiting men’s police stations.

They insisted a separate facility was required for female complainants.

When contacted, Khyber district police officer Saleem Abbas Kulachi revealed that two more women’s desks would be established in Landi Kotal and Jamrud soon.

He said work on the building for the Jamrud facility was near completion.

“The women’s desk in Jamrud will be inaugurated soon,” he said.

The DPO said he took the initiative in Bara after receiving women’s complaints in large numbers, while educated young men also approached him against the injustice meted out to their sisters by other male family members.

“As a professional officer, I cannot ignore the grievances of women, who make up almost half of the district’s around 1.2 million population,” he said.

Mr Kulachi, however, said he had to consider the social and cultural issues that could crop up after the establishment of a separate complaint centre for tribal women.

He said a mechanism was introduced to engage people in settling women-related issues at the centre to “give a sense of ownership and patronage to male members of society besides addressing women’s problems in a cordial atmosphere.”

The DPO said he was satisfied with the performance of Bara’s women’s desk, which won the trust of women complainants and increased people’s confidence in the police.

Nasreen Afridi, a Bara resident studying journalism and mass communication at the University of Peshawar, said most tribal women were not familiar with sharing their personal matters and family affairs with men.

She said women felt more at ease discussing their issues with female authorities, especially policewomen.

“In tribal regions, women are not encouraged to appear before all-male jirgas. These tribal councils comprising elders are considered biased against women as they don’t provide women with opportunities to raise their voice against injustices meted out to them,” she said.

The student called for the establishment of more such centers to encourage women to speak freely about their issues.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2024