Female Police Officers applauded for exhibiting professionalism in Darfur

The IGP debriefing female police officers upon their completion of Peacekeeping mission in Darfur (Photo: RNP Media Center)

A contingent of eighty female police officers were praised for exercising good professionalism by the Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K Gasana after successfully serving 23 months under the United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in Darfur, Sudan
 
Addressing the female officers at Rwanda National Police (RNP) headquarters in Kacyiru yesterday, Gasana commended them for their commitment in serving to their required standards.
 
“Rwanda has been praised for being ahead in offering female police officer in Peace Support Operations. This is a good thing to note. After nearly two years in Darfur, we should be happy because your efforts have helped our country to continuously be acknowledged globally.”
  Female Police officers performing moral (Photo: RNP Media Center)

“What you achieved is because of the positive values, doctrine, discipline and the profession you demonstrated, which is what we expect of you during your return back to the force,” he added, encouraging them to maintain three key values-disciplines, image and Agaciro in the Police force.
 
He thanked them for their outstanding discipline during their mission and appealed to them to use the experience gained in enhancing the force’s professionalism.
 
The IGP also briefed them on the current activities within the force which include having peace support centre to professional training, support welfare for police officers which include the housing scheme, Zigama CSS among others.
 
He also said that they have good bilateral relations with regional countries; they are working on electronic policing, logistic school and the ongoing exercise of sending officers for further studies both within and outside the country.
 
According to the Director of Peace Support Operations in Rwanda National Police, Supt. Egide Ruzigamanzi, the female police officers were selected in line with the UN Resolution 1325 which advocates for gender mainstreaming in all activities and ending violence against women.
 
“In war-torn countries, many acts of Gender Based Violence are committed and our female police officers are well placed to deal with them,”
 
These female police officers have provided protection to children, taught local police in Darfur how to handle children and female criminals and also worked within Internally Displaced Persons and helped in the introduction of GBV desk in the area.
 
The Peacekeeping missions by the force started in 2005 when the first police contingent was deployed in Darfur, Sudan and Haiti.
 
Liberia, South Sudan and Ivory Coast are other missions where Rwanda has sent police officers.