<p>The observation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Home Affairs that the representation of women in the police force is ‘’abysmally low’’ points to a problem relating to both the police, and gender rights and empowerment. The need to appoint more numbers of women in police forces has been long discussed and governments have always supported the idea. But the committee has noted that the representation is still only 10.3%, recommended that it should be raised to 33% and laid out a roadmap for that. This was a target set as early as 2009. The committee has made a number of recommendations which include setting up at least one all-woman police station in one district, appointing at least three women sub-inspectors and 10 women constables in one station, recruitment of women for additional posts rather to fill existing posts and assignment of important duties to women police personnel. </p>.<p>All states need to make greater efforts to improve the number of women in the forces. The performance of states in this respect is very uneven. It is interesting that Bihar, which is considered a backward state, has the highest representation of women in the police force at 25%. Himachal Pradesh comes second with 19%. All southern states, which have better social indicators and are considered to be more advanced, have a representation lower than the national average, except for Tamil Nadu where it is 18%. Most women in the forces serve at the lowest level and there are fewer and fewer women in higher positions. The situation is the same in the Central police forces also. There are structural and attitudinal issues that work against the entry of more women into the police force. Policing is still considered a male job that demands physical strength for which women are thought to be unfit. There are also issues like practices and conditions which are not women-friendly in the police system. It is also wrong to think that women police personnel are needed only in dealing with crimes against women or law and order situations in which women are involved. They should be involved in and trained in handling all policing functions. They have proved their ability in this. </p>.<p>All institutions like the government and its agencies, occupations like the police and public spaces like classrooms in a democratic society should be inclusive and representative of the society. They should have a fair representation of all sections like women, minorities of various kinds and territorially dispersed populations. Weaker sections like women should get special consideration, especially because jobs will financially empower and socially uplift them. The standing committee’s recommendations should be heeded by all governments and earnest action taken to implement them. </p>
<p>The observation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Home Affairs that the representation of women in the police force is ‘’abysmally low’’ points to a problem relating to both the police, and gender rights and empowerment. The need to appoint more numbers of women in police forces has been long discussed and governments have always supported the idea. But the committee has noted that the representation is still only 10.3%, recommended that it should be raised to 33% and laid out a roadmap for that. This was a target set as early as 2009. The committee has made a number of recommendations which include setting up at least one all-woman police station in one district, appointing at least three women sub-inspectors and 10 women constables in one station, recruitment of women for additional posts rather to fill existing posts and assignment of important duties to women police personnel. </p>.<p>All states need to make greater efforts to improve the number of women in the forces. The performance of states in this respect is very uneven. It is interesting that Bihar, which is considered a backward state, has the highest representation of women in the police force at 25%. Himachal Pradesh comes second with 19%. All southern states, which have better social indicators and are considered to be more advanced, have a representation lower than the national average, except for Tamil Nadu where it is 18%. Most women in the forces serve at the lowest level and there are fewer and fewer women in higher positions. The situation is the same in the Central police forces also. There are structural and attitudinal issues that work against the entry of more women into the police force. Policing is still considered a male job that demands physical strength for which women are thought to be unfit. There are also issues like practices and conditions which are not women-friendly in the police system. It is also wrong to think that women police personnel are needed only in dealing with crimes against women or law and order situations in which women are involved. They should be involved in and trained in handling all policing functions. They have proved their ability in this. </p>.<p>All institutions like the government and its agencies, occupations like the police and public spaces like classrooms in a democratic society should be inclusive and representative of the society. They should have a fair representation of all sections like women, minorities of various kinds and territorially dispersed populations. Weaker sections like women should get special consideration, especially because jobs will financially empower and socially uplift them. The standing committee’s recommendations should be heeded by all governments and earnest action taken to implement them. </p>
