WESTERN PROVINCE KARONGI— The Rwanda National Police Women Network (RNPWN) has embarked on a campaign to increase female police constables. This was announced by the forum’s coordinator Inspector, Cecile Umuhire at the closure of a three-day workshop on capacity building at Golf Eden Hotel in Karongi district on Saturday. The seminar attracted about 30 female Police personnel from different stations in the Western Province. Umuhire revealed that female constables constitute only 11 per cent in the National Police-far below the 30 percent needed. “We need to sensitise women to join the police force as a way of contributing to the country’s development,” she said in a separate interview shortly after the workshop. The workshop aimed at sensitising participants on HIV/Aids and the role of women in development of the country, according to Umuhire. During the workshop, participants were also briefed on Community policing, and crime prevention, among other things. Umuhire explained that the forum will work with other local women’s association to help them solve their domestic problems. “Our forum will work with other local women associations to solve many problems. It has not been easy for a woman to report her spouse’s harassment to a policeman, but with women joining the police, this will become easy,” she noted. Rwanda National Police Women Network was initiated by the tripartite corporation made of Swedish Police, South African Police and Rwanda National Police. It was formed with the aim of promoting the role of women in the National Police. Ends
