Police hosts female officers convention

Plans are underway to build a polytechnic school at Gishari in the Eastern Province to equip female Police personnel with skills in plumbing, mechanics, construction, among others.This was announced at a Police Women Convention yesterday at Remera Stadium in Kigali.The annual meeting brings together countrywide policewomen with their leaders to discuss job-related issues.Speaking at the meeting, the IGP Emmanuel Gasana said it has become a custom for Rwanda National Police (RNP) women to meet and discuss gender challenges as part of government’s efforts to promote women in all sectors.Favourable policiesGasana said transfers have been effected for policewomen so as to work near their homes. This, he said, would help ease the women’s family responsibilities, adding that it is in response to some of the requests made last year.Part of the recognition of their capacity, Gasana said, was to send 154 female police personnel to various international peacekeeping missions and 57 for further studies.He commended the female officers for the great job of securing people in Rwanda and their properties. He urged them to encourage more women to join RNP.Gasana said women trust female officers when it comes to investigating gender-based violence cases, which ease and speed up the process of delivering justice.At the function, Internal Security Minister Musa Fazil Harelimana promised to work closely with whoever helps in promoting RNP women to enable the force achieve its mission.“When you invite me to such a meeting, I feel you help me more achieve my obligations to the service of our nation and the President, who is often telling us that Rwanda cannot develop once women are left behind,” Sheikh Harelimana said.