The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, has unveiled a gender policy for the Nigeria Police.
Speaking at the unveiling of the policy in Abuja on Thursday, the minister said that the policy when implemented, would eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in the police force.
Maina said it had been observed that the patriarchal structure of the society created biases in the organisation.
“The gender policy is predicated on the prevalence of gender inequalities in our society perpetuated by the patriarchal culture, reflected in the treatment of women and girls.
“This trend is obvious in the low representation of women in the command structure of law enforcement agencies, biases, discrimination, violence against women and girls among others.”
She said a central component of the reform process was to ensure that the security needs of the community was integrated into the structure and operations of the police.
The minister added that the policy when implemented, it would help the police to `wear a new look’ in the eye of the public.
She recalled that there was an outcry over the provision of Police Act, requiring a woman “to seek the consent of the Inspector General of Police before getting married’’, stressing that issues like that were out-dated.
Maina commended the UN Women, the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police for contributing to the success of the policy.
The Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, said the police partnered with stakeholders to enhance the capacity of police officers on ways of avoiding violence.
Abubakar, who was represented by Mr Peter Gana, Deputy Inspector General, Operations, said that the policy would equip officers on better ways of handling gender-based violence with high level professionalism.
He noted that the police would do its best to ensure that lives were protected, in line with fundamental human rights.
Also speaking, the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Daouda Toure, said that gender-based violence was the most pervasive human rights violation in the 21st century.
He said that legislative provisions on gender discrimination were inadequate, stressing that it was important that stakeholders confronted attitudes and behaviours that discouraged gender discrimination.
“Cultural and religious leaders should send clear messages about the value of a world free from discrimination and violence against women,” he said
Toure said that law enforcement agencies should be provided with opportunities that would strengthen their capacities to adequately perform their roles toward women and girls.