Women rejoin police force

Armed with a pistol, Malalai sits behind her desk at police headquarters in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. She is a rare sight in this deeply Islamic country, where just a few months ago the hardline Taliban reigned supreme. She was the first woman to join the police force in the city after six years of exclusion imposed by the oppressive rule of the Taliban, who banned women from education and work and restricted their movement. "I have wanted to work for the police force for as long as I can remember," she said. Having previously joined the force some 10 years ago, she was forced to leave when the Taliban regime came into power. Over the past six years she has been at home working as a seamstress, but rejoined the force two months after the fall of the Taliban. "There are 12 women working in the police force, with others eager to join," the chief of police in Kandahar, Haji Akram, told IRIN. "I was at a function the other day and a lady approached me and asked me if she could join the force." Akram said the role of women was particularly important in the police force, because they could enter houses and search women. Pashtun tribal tradition does not allow men to enter homes, regarding this as a matter of honour. He stressed that the force would not be complete without women. "We hope to attract more females into this occupation," he said. Malalai spoke of the days when she was harassed, and would observe other women being harassed in the former spiritual capital of the Taliban. "I saw a woman in a shop buying groceries, and the Taliban started beating her, asking her why she was out shopping alone," she said. Asked about how her male colleagues treated her now, she said: "They have been very supportive, and they will get used to us in time". The mother of six said her family was also very supportive of her returning to her field of expertise. However, she had received some anonymous threats from men, but these did not deter her. "We need women in this role if we are going to be taken seriously," she maintained. Malalai's duties are concentrated on domestic disputes. "Many women who were married to members of the Taliban and who've fled the country have come to us asking how they can divorce them," she said. Another recent case involved women who were selling drugs. "We found 200 packets of heroin in a house where some ladies were dealing," she said. Standing proud in her uniform with her hands on her hips and her head covered with a scarf in observance of cultural standards, the newly appointed policewoman said she was hoping to offer women fairer trials. "Because cases involving females were investigated by men, who were biased, the women were often found guilty. But I want to change this," she said.