Rwanda National Police

The Commissioner of Human Resources and development at Rwanda National Police (RNP), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bartelemy Rugwizangoga has appealed to RNP’s gender focal persons and departmental administrative officers to ensure that the principal of gender equality is strictly adhered to and to ensure all officers are treated equitably in the execution of their duties.

ACP Rugwizangoga also called on gender focal point officers to always conduct themselves professionally and to remain impartial while handling gender related matters.

ACP Rugwizangoga, was speaking yesterday at a two-day consultative workshop for 52, police gender focal persons from all police territorial units and general headquarters in Kacyiru dubbed “gender equality and women readiness in operation conduct”.

He said implementation of the gender policy has played a strategic role in internal and external gender mainstreaming and in the delivery of related policies and procedures.

He noted that the force has seen impressive results where the principal of gender equality and women promotion has been implemented especially in security operations.

“We recognize how our police women perform perfectly here in Rwanda and in peace keeping mission… you have seen how our female police officers competitively performed in recent EAPCCO games, bringing in several medals,” ACP Rugwizangoga.

He also noted that RNP as an institution charged with law enforcement should never fall short of ensuring government strategic policies are put to full action, saying “we want to see best practices in fighting against GBV and child abuse at every force’s level and ensuring no one is left behind” he said.

The Commissioner told officers that, in order to effectively deliver their policing responsibilities, they ought to always consider the force’s core values, above all discipline.

On her part, Superintendent of Police (Supt) Pelagie Dusabe the director of gender at RNP discussed the positive impact of teamwork among the gender focal persons and Police administrators.

 ‘’Since we have started this periodic meeting of Gender focal persons, we have so far only received positive impact on compliance at all levels” supt Dusabe said.  

She however, called for more internal awareness to close all gaps toward gender promotion while appealing to officers to demand at all levels for the full observation of the principals of gender equity.