The seventh annual Rwanda National Police (RNP) Women Convention convened on Friday in Kigali with close to 700 female police officers discussing empowerment and skills development as a way of advancing women in policing.

The convention is part of the series held every year for the last six years and has since turned out to be a good forum for sharing ideas and experiences between female police officers drawn from different areas of operation countrywide, and also get guidance and encouragement from the RNP leadership and partners.

While opening the convention, the Minister of Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana urged them to be exemplary and uphold national values while executing their duties.

"Besides being police officers, you are also parents; that is why you need to be role models in your communities and be ambassadors to this good cause of women empowerment,” said Minister Harerimana.

He commended Rwanda National Police and its partners for maintaining this annual event to further promote the government’s gender empowerment policy.

"A lot of good ideas have been developed from the previous conventions and they have paid off in terms of improving the welfare and skills of police officers… records have it that your conduct has been incredibly impressive,” the Minister told female police officers.

The Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Oda Gasinzigwa who also attended the convention, commended RNP for its women empowerment policy saying that such initiatives like the women convention contributes a lot in advancing the gender equality in Rwanda.

"The professionalism exhibited by female police officers while on duty is overwhelmingly incredible and this is evident from their commitment in preserving peace both at home and international peacekeeping missions,” she said.

Citing awards accorded to Rwandan female officers in international duties, Minister Gasinzigwa noted that such exceptional performances are "no longer reserved for men only…even women can do it, and sometimes even better.”

"Men and women Police officers should continue to support and protect one-another as they protect the nation,” she said.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Emmanuel K. Gasana lauded the skills and good conduct exhibited by female police officers while executing their duties and encouraged them to keep acquiring more skills.

"Women police officers can and have done incredible things, they are performing well in all departments where they are deployed,” IGP Gasana said.

The Coordinator of One UN Rwanda, Steven Rodriguez commended the level of safety, security and peace Rwanda continues to enjoy.

"RNP has demonstrated a high level of professionalism while Rwanda also achieved Millennium Development Goal on Gender equality and women empowerment; this is all because of the good leadership and committed people,” Rodriguez, who is also the country director of United Nations Development Programme, said.

He pointed out Isange One stop Center and Community Policing as one of the major initiative of RNP that make impact in people’s lives.

The women convention is a forum for female police officers where they meet to reflect on the achievements, analyze resolutions of the prevention convention, propose solutions for existing challenges and set new goals to ensure professionalism in their career.