Government to prod states to have 33 % women in police forces

NEW DELHI: The Centre today said it will prod the states and union territories to ensure that women comprise 33 per cent of the total strength of their police forces.

Addressing an event, Minister of State for Women Kiren Rijiju talked about complaints of sexual harassment in police and armed forces and said the government will deal with the problem.

On 33 per cent reservation for women in police forces, Rijiju called it a "difficult and challenging" task but said he will personally take a "more proactive role" in ensuring its implementation". He, however, said the Centre cannot force the states on this issue.

The Home Ministry had issued an advisory to the states and Union Territories around five years back asking them to make sure that women comprise 33 per cent of their police forces.

The minister underlined the need for ensuring speedy justice to victims of sexual harassment including those in security forces.

The Minister was speaking after releasing a report titled "Rough Roads to Equality: Women Police in South Asia, 2015" published by Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative ( CHRI).

When CHRI officials expressed displeasure over functioning of women police stations, saying they have further marginalised the role of women police officials, Rijiju said "there should be women in police stations and not women police stations."

A section of the report also mentions how women police officials in Pakistan are not promoted beyond a certain point.

On that, Rijiju commented that such a system cannot be considered normal.