The India Justice Report 2019 compiled by a group of sectoral experts, ranging from human rights groups to legal policy groups, show that women account for seven per cent of India’s 2.4 million police personnel. This number is expected to rise, with many States and Union Territories providing for 30% (and more) reservation for women in the police in specific ranks. Current data reveal that most women in the police are concentrated in the lower ranks. It continues to be known as the police force. And being a force, it places a premium on exaggerated masculinity and valor more than on service.

Body:

The institutional barriers that hinder the growth of women in Police services are:

• Gender Apathy:
  • The police department suffers from gender apathy as evident through the absence of separate toilets, changing rooms for women, and separate accommodation for women, and other facilities and child-care support, in addition to persistent and widespread gender bias.
• Gender stereotyping:
  • Decisions on deployment of women are not free of gender stereotyping restricting women from leading operational positions. This biasness is not limited only from male colleague sometimes female superiors too consider them weak, less willing to work and less tough.
• Lower priority tasks allotted:
  • There appears to be a tendency to sideline women, or give them policing tasks that are physically less demanding, or relegate them to desk duty, or make them work on crimes against women alone.
• Allocated only Women related cases:
  • Women police persons are relegated to dealing with crimes against women and accompanying women prisoners the concept works against the interests of women as it segregates them.
• Women recruited at lower levels:
  • Current data reveal that most women in the police are concentrated in the lower ranks reflecting the dearth of females at key operational positions.

Measures needed to overcome:

• Increased Recruitment:
  • There is a need to have more women in the field in executive postings – from constables to inspectors and higher ranks.
  • Departments should undertake special recruitment drives in every district to ensure geographical diversity.
• Better Training:
  • Women in the constabulary must get the training, support and confidence needed to put them on a par in every sense with their male counterparts.
  • Resource centres for mentoring, creating awareness about opportunities and prospects, and helping with career planning and training and coping with workplace challenges are essential.
• Safe workspace:
  • Police departments must also ensure safe working spaces for women and adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination and harassment, in order to make policing a viable career option for women.
  • Departments must operationalise the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013.
• Gender sensitivity:
  • A common gender-neutral cadre needs to be created for all ranks so that promotional opportunities are evenly available.
  • Women do have some special needs, like during and post pregnancies, which need to be catered to. They shouldn’t be shunted to non-executive postings. The force needs to encourage more women to be in the field.
• Higher funding:
  • Most State police departments have received funds under the Modernisation of State Police Forces Scheme for providing separate toilets and changing rooms for women, and for constructing separate accommodation for women with attached toilets in all police stations and units. Police departments must ensure the best use of this fund.
• Spreading awareness and sensitization:
  • The police should reach out to the media and educational institutions to spread awareness about opportunities for women in the police.
  • While women have a role in making up for the lack of training and sensitisation of the force in general in dealing with crimes against women they should not be ghettoised into dealing only with such crimes.

Conclusion:

The discourse on mainstreaming women in the police by making policing inclusive, non-discriminatory and efficient in India is missing in policy circles. Leading to the vicious cycle of non-reporting and non-action, perpetuating the culture of silence. Desk work too must be allocated evenly among men and women. For women in police to perform to their full potential, it would take sustained increase in their strength, meaningful networking within themselves and an institutionalized support system in the current social realities. Then, they will be the women that they are, the police officers that they are. It will allow them to be their authentic selves, agents of change. To achieve. To lead. To serve the people.