International Muslim Police Women Conference

The theme for Day 4 was “Response of Police Women to Violence in Islamic Society.” Deputy Minister Mazari Safa, of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, was the keynote speaker. DM Safa spoke in general terms about the need for police response to violence against women, and in particular, the role of police women in responding to and preventing violence against women. DM Safa acknowledged that Afghanistan has a great need for more women police and for more resources such as shelters, public awareness outreach, and proper training of police, prosecutors, judges, and all levels of Afghan society to recognize the problem of violence against women and violence in the family.

After the morning chai break, a panel took up the subject and continued the discussion. The panel was chaired by Assistant Commissioner Norma Ishak of the Royal Malaysian Police. Laila Fahim of UNIFEM spoke about the new Family Referral Center recently established in Jalalabad. Officer Sohaila spoke about the Family Response Units being set up around Afghanistan, and then Dr. Pashtun of Medica Mondiale gave an excellent talk on the destruction of mind and body that family violence can have on the individual, the family and society in general. Superintendent Nighat Haider of Pakistan discussed the establishment of women’s police stations in Pakistan and addressed the difficulties of reaching all women, especially in the rural areas of the country, a problem Pakistan shares with Afghanistan. Orzala Ashraf of HAWCA spoke on women’s shelters and Wazhma Frogh of CIDA spoke on the relationship police women should have in preventing and addressing violence against women in Afghanistan. Her comments were enthusiastically endorsed by the Afghan police women present.

After lunch, the international visitors were taken on a tour of the National Police Academy. Academy cadets demonstrated tactical training, marching in formation and karate class for girls. It was a pleasant and informative tour, as well as a nice break from the hotel. It was also evident along the way to the Academy that the Ministry of the Interior had gone to great lengths to protect the delegation and all participants of the conference.