Across the globe when we speak of protection and security and who is to play a role in acting these responsibilities, we think of men. Whether it be in a loca
l police force or national military force, men throughout history have been at the helm, with women being thought to be the weaker gender, who did not have the physical capability to be part of it and are rather the one in need of protection.
This thought process has changed over the years with more and more women taking on roles at various levels across security forces, although a lot of more work still has to be done. “Global data and research has long indicated that employing women on the frontlines of justice sector service delivery—as police, corrections officials, legal representatives, etc.—as well as decision-makers, creates justice systems that are more gender-responsive.”[1]
A few notable examples of women in security forces are seen in India, with its all-women’s police stations in communities such as Tamil Nadu, which had seen an increase in women reporting sexual assault in 2004; and in Kosovo, which had been ravaged by war. The partnership of the UN and the Association of Women in the Kosovo Police enabled for the training of women to become part of the police force, where women now constitute 15% of the police force.[2] And in Palestine, in
the town of Hebron, where female officers have had special raid training, and others have gone on to be appointed to high profile positions. In 2012 , Hebron, the West Bank’s biggest city, had about 50 women among the 900 police officers deployed locally. “Their presence challenge(d) stereotypes but it is traditional values that make it necessary.”[3] And in Europe, you have the most number of female defense ministers at any point in time in its history. “France’s newly-appointed Minister of the Armed Forces Sylvie Goulard will join a historic high number of female defense ministers—from Germany (Ursula von der Leyen), the Netherlands (Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert), Italy (Roberta Pinotti), and Spain (Maria Dolores de Cospedal)—in the European Union, which now has women serving in top defense posts in four of the bloc’s five largest economies,” and the EU foreign affairs and security chief, Federica Mogherini.[4]
The ability of women is never limited, the capabilities of the female population are boundless. And as communities and nations around the world continue to progress, women in security forces will continue to grow and their impact felt even more.
[1] UN Women, Contributor, “Bringing Women On Equal Footing With Men In Kosovo Police,” Huffington Post, March 01, 2017, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bringing-women-on-equal-footing-with-men-in-kosovo_us_58b7410ae4b0ddf654246310.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Farhana Dawood, “Palestinian policewomen break traditional stereotypes,” BBC News, May 5, 2012, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-17927527.
[4] Rachel Vogelstein, “Women Around the World: This Week,” Council on Foreign Relations, May 30, 2017, https://www.cfr.org/blog/women-around-world-week-84.