Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 24
In today’s world, there are no limitations to what women can achieve and many have broken barriers and crossed boundaries. Sadly, the brass ceiling hasn’t been broken yet, in the case of women working in the law-enforcement agencies. A look into the prevailing condition of Naga women in the Nagaland Police force is not encouraging or at the least inspiring. Women with badges have long been looked down upon, and silently questioned and mentally assessed what they are doing at a “man’s job”.
Nagaland has sham representation of women in the state’s police force. The police force is male-dominated but there has been a gross under-representation of women.
The Women Cell Dimapur, which takes care of everything from petty thefts to cases of murder, reveals that there are 30 women personnel ranging from the IC to constable.
A woman police officer, in the field for the past eight years, said that women police personnel are definitely not timid and have been handling minor cases as well as cases of sensitive nature. “I definitely place my career before my personal life,” she says. She narrates that many times when priority cases needed to be handled there has been no issues about staying late and working. “I am a mother, but this is my job and I give it the top priority,” the officer said.
Another lamented that facilities are not the same. “We do feel ignored, when we see the benefits that our male counterparts enjoy,” she stated. She also revealed that women police are not given the opportunities that they should be given. Women police personnel also, often face discrimination, peer pressure and intimidation. “Men still don’t want us to be in their group,” boldly stated a woman police personnel and added that “It will take time to change the mindset of the people.”
“As if we are so different; as if the work that we are doing cannot be counted as valid; in fact women are doing much better work in reality. People don’t realize the importance the work done by women police. They may think that the work done by women police cannot be taken into account,” stated another police woman, clearly irate and having dealt with such incidents. It is a fact that just a bare few, a handful that has been able to rise through the ranks and secure a higher post.
“Naga society should come forward, for it is high time women cell should be upgraded to a full fledged police station” said another police woman. A collective “it is high time for the government to do something” was echoed by many of the women police personnel who were interviewed. They admitted that while Naga Women Hoho and Naga Women Commission have trying to help tackle the problem, there is still a long way to go.
Women officers have always been perceived to be physically weak, passive and even ‘too emotional’ for the job. However, it is believed that they are more effective in establishing and maintaining key roles between the police department and the community it serves.
While it is a non-traditional choice of career, and does not appeal to many women, advancement of society and legal mandates have helped pave the way and open a host of opportunities in other states and countries for women to enter law enforcement agencies in record breaking numbers. But Nagaland still has a long way to go.
