Malam Jabba, Swat, December 18, 2023 - Funded by the Government of Japan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and the United Nations Development Programme organized a 5-day training for 25 women police officers from the Merged Districts (MDs).. This initiative aimed to strengthen people-centered policing in MDs while enhancing the skills of women police officers to better assist gender-based violence (GBV) survivors within these areas.

Women police officers from Kurram, North Waziristan, Orakzai, Bajaur, Khyber, Mohmand, and Sub Division Hassan Khel Peshawar attended the training. The sessions covered various aspects, including gender-responsive policing, community-based approaches, gender equality, discrimination, GBV, prevention strategies, relevant laws, ICT-based harassment, workplace harassment, engagement with community forums, and the role of civil society organizations in community policing, as outlined under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Act 2017.

The training will play a pivotal role in improving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police’s response to  GBV and build trust within the communities in MDs. Furthermore, having more women police officers in police stations in MDs will encourage more women and other marginalized people to seek assistance from the police, thereby increasing their access to justice. 

From UNDP Pakistan, Ms Chamila Hemmathagama, Programme Manager, Rule of Law Programme opened the training with her welcome remarks, “I am honoured to be here today in the presence of such a diverse group of women police officers from the MDs. As women police officers, you are playing a very crucial role  in transforming local policing in the MDs and in strengthening the efforts by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police to serve and protect the communities, especially the survivors of  GBV in MDs. You should be proud of your invaluable services to the communities in MDs.” She also thanked the Government of Japan for their efforts to improve security sector governance in MDs and acknowledged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police for their commitment to ensuring public safety and peace in the region.