Presentation - Pro-Women and Child-Friendly - Prof. Ishrat Shamim

8/18/2019 Presentation - Pro-Women and Child-Friendly - Prof. Ishrat Shamim

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Towards Pro-Women and Child-Friendly Policing in Bangladesh:

Our Experiences

Prof. Ishrat Shamim

President

Centre for Women and Children tudies

!ha"a# Bangladesh


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$ntroduction

The concept of violence against

women is an infringement of human

rights of women.

Violence against women is on the

increase and there is a wide gap

between the number of actualincidents and the number reported to

the police.


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Police as a Force

Police have been entrusted with

power to maintain the rule of law and

social justice.

These powers given under the law

include powers to arrest the person

suspected to be involved in crime,

search premises and seize property.


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Police as a Force cont%%&

Unfortunately there have been repeatedmisuses of power and excesses committedby police leading to the violation of humanrights, particularly women and child rights.

eorientation of attitudes is the !ey for thepolice to transform itself into a "service" froma "force."

#nly that will enable the police to be"people$friendly" $ to serve the communityas is expected from them to gainacceptance in the larger society.


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Pre'enti'e (ole of the Police

There is some scope for preventive action

in cases of recurring or continuing violence

even in domestic situations.

%ection &'( of the )ode of )riminal

Procedure &*(*, +very police officer may

interpose for the purpose of preventing,

and shall, to the best of his ability, prevent,

the commission of any cognizable offence.-


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Pre'enti'e (ole of the Police

cont%&&&

Police should act within the

parameters laid down by law, in

absolute good faith and with

transparency.

good strategy in this regard will be

to enlist the cooperation of active

women"s organizations and socialwor!ers in the police effort.


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$n'estigati'e (ole of the Police

/irst 0nformation eport, popularly

!nown as /0 is the written

information relating to cognizable

offense given to the #fficer in )harge

of a police station shall be signed by

the person giving it under %ection &1'

of the )riminal Procedure )ode.


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$n'estigati'e (ole of the Police cont%%&

%ection &23 )ode of )riminal Procedure

empowers the 0nvestigating #fficer to

re4uire attendance of witnesses familiar

with the facts and circumstances of thecase under investigation.

/urthermore, %ection &2& empowers the

0nvestigating #fficer to orally examine such

witnesses and record their statements, but

such statements are not to be signed by

the witness as per %ection &25.


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$n'estigati'e (ole of the Police cont%%&

The next step in the investigation processis the interrogation of suspects, which isone of the toughest of the police tas!s.

%ection &16 of the )riminal Procedure)ode enjoins upon the 0nvestigating #fficerto find out the facts and circumstances of acase and +if necessary to ta!e measures

for the discovery and arrest of theoffender.-


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$nitiati'es of the Centre to Com)at

*iolence +gainst Women and Children

7omen and child rights $ enforcement

responsibility of police

nforcing laws relating to rape, dowry,domestic violence, traffic!ing and

prostitution

0n this bac!drop, the )entre felt the urgent need

for sensitizing police and members of the

community on issues li!e8


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$nitiati'es of the Centre cont%%&&

)ode of )onduct towards women andchildren $ guidelines for arrest, bail,custody, search and interrogation

%ensitizing the police $ gender sensitization

involves a process of unlearning genderbias, children sensitization to assume apro$active role in the best interests of thechild

%ensitizing the community leaders to act aspressure group, to be vigilant about the lawand order situation regarding violation ofwomen and child rights.


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$nitiati'es of the Centre cont%%&&

)entre for 7omen and )hildren %tudies too! thefirst initiative in &((* to wor! with the police andcommunity together to bring about attitudinal andbehavioural change of police personnel towards

women and children.The main goal was to combat various forms ofviolence against women and children by providingsensitivity training of the police and members ofthe community about women and child rights as

human rights and to achieve distributive justiceand gender e4uity.


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$mpediments to wor" towards

Pro-Women Policing

Police identified the following impediments to

uphold women’s rights in the context of

violence against women: 9ac! of proper implementation of the existing laws

7omen victims usually come to the police station

at night due to the fear that they will be seen bythe accused or community people


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$mpediments to wor" cont%&

%ometimes victims do not want to lodge/0 against the accused due to fear orshame or insecurity

%ometimes victims mitigate the problem orwithdraw the case as they are threatenedby the accused

%ome corrupted police officials demands

money from the victims for filing cases, assuch, poor women who are victims cannotget access to justice


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:edical treatment of the battered

women and the victim of rape cannot

be arranged immediately due to lac!

of female police officer and vehicle

;octors are not available, whilst the

victim is ta!en to the hospital for

medical examination


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Untoward political pressure on the

0nvestigating #fficer, if he


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,essons ,earnt

=oth police and members of the community feltthat the gap between police and community aswell as between the members of the communitythemselves have been narrowed than it was

before the training.specially during the interactive session of thetraining between the police and community, manyof the problems faced by women victims werethoroughly discussed and the concept of

community policing seemed to be a way out toprevent such violence.


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Orientation of Police on Child

(ights

The )entre organized orientation sessionson child rights at >*( police stations of 1'districts of six divisions by giving a set offive posters to the police containingmessages on child rights issues namely?

%ecurity of children

)hild labour

Violence against children)hild traffic!ing

@outh offenders.


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$mpediments to phold Child

(ights

Ao separate cells in the policestations for children

0nade4uate number of policewomen

in the police station, which createsproblems to interrogate girl children

Police personnel identified the following barrierswhich create impediments to uphold child rights:


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$mpediments to phold Child (ights cont%%%&

0n case of sexual abuse, sometimes both partiesmutually come to an agreement to withdraw thecase as such police officials cannot proceedlegally

Political parties often involve children with criminalactivities as such police are bound to ta!enecessary action against the children

Police officials are overburdened with too many

duties to perform and they hardly have thepatience to be friendly with children, especiallychild offenders.


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Commitments of Police Officials

to phold Child (ights

Police committed to protect child rights

7illingness to behave well and be friendly

to children they meet, as well as towards

the distressed children who come to the

police stations for help

They emphasized the importance of

education and will try to ta!e initiatives so

that children can go to school.


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Community Policing to Com)at

.ender *iolence

)7)% initiated community policingprogramme in four Unions of Bessore C%at!hira districts to address variousforms of violence against women8

7ife battering

;owry

ape


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Community Policing cont%%

Traffic!ing

cid throwing

%exual harassment

through community policing

committees so that police andcommunity can wor! together tocombat gender violence.


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,esson ,earnt

)ommunity Policing )ommittee D)P)E of%a!hipur too! the initiative to organize ameeting in %ha!hipur ;ai!il :adrashaplayground which was attended by 133

people, among whom 533 were women.

The meeting was attended by ThanaAirbahi #fficer, officials from the;epartment of 7omen ffairs, )hairman of%ha!hipur Union who is also )onvener ofthe )P) to aware mass people about the)P), mainly their goals and activities.


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,esson ,earnt cont%%%

Thana Airbahi #fficer said that )P)s of %a!hipurand Parulia Unions formed 7ard )ommittees inevery 7ard of %a!hipur and Parulia Unions toexecute the activities of the )ommittee moreeffectively.

)P)s have arranged courtyard meetings in severalplaces to ma!e people aware of the )ommitteeFsroles and activities.

The )ommittees have solved many cases ofgender violence. ;ue to the formation of )P)s, therate of violence against women and children arereducing.


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uggestions )y Police for Child-

Friendly Policing

)reate child$friendly environment at thepolice stations

There should be sufficient number ofmale and female police force in thepolice stations to prevent and detect

violence against children, investigatesuch cases with patience and ta!eprompt action against the accused


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uggestions )y Police for Child- Friendly Policing cont%%

%ufficient logistic support should be

provided for the police to carry out

their duties properly

Proper implementation of the existing

laws should be ensured

ll police stations should have

separate loc!$ups for child offenders


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uggestions )y Police for Child-Friendly Policing cont%%

cadre of trained policewomen at all

levels, especially at district level should be

deployed to deal with sensitive cases

Police should be given incentives and

awards for their performance, especially in

cases of violence against children. t the

same time, they should be given exemplary

punishment for their misdeeds


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uggestions )y Police for Child-Friendly Policing cont%%

Police should establish networ!s withwomen and children organizations so thatpolice can use these as referralorganizations in cases of violence againstand children and also support in policeefforts to prevent such violence in thehome and community

%eparate monitoring cell should beestablished to monitor the activities ofpolice.


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(ecommendations

There should be specific orientation andtraining aimed at police, doctors,magistrates, prosecutors and women fol!to resist the criminals. 0n this regard, it wasimportant to establish networ!s of women"support groups

Police training is crucial to sensitize police

personnel from the senior managerial levelto field level Dfront line policeE on womenand child rights


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(ecommendations cont%%&&

Proper implementation of the national lawsshould be ensured

)orruption should be eliminated particularlyin regard to law enforcing agencies andother G# officials

ppointment, transfer, promotion, duties ofpolice force should be !ept above politicalinfluence, corruption and nepotism


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(ecommendations cont%

Police should be encouraged to serve thesociety during orientation and professionaltraining

The manpower of police force should beincreased including female police

9ogistic support should be provided totransfer the juvenile delin4uents frompolice station to the court and correctioncentre


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(ecommendations cont%

Police personnel should be provided

with standard salary pac!age along

with other facilities

separate independent agency

should be formed to investigate the

crimes committed by the lawenforcing agencies.


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Presentation - Pro-Women and Child-Friendly - Prof. Ishrat Shamim