Gender Policy for BP- Final-Revised_husainy

BANGLADESH POLICE
GENDER POLICY
NOVEMBER, 2012

Foreword
Though the Bangladesh Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to dignity of the
human person, and forbids the subjection of any person to torture or to inhuman and
degrading treatment, Gender Based Violence (GBV) remains a daily occurrence. This is
because the Bangladesh society is characterized by a patriarchal system, which supports
male supremacy, leading to unequal gender role relations, and grants men power and
control over women in both the domestic and the public spheres. One direct consequence
of this social arrangement is a relaxed attitude towards GBV and passive acceptance by
some of its victims.
However, with the development and formulation the National Women Development
Policy -2011 by the Bangladesh Government, GBV is now recognized as an important
policy issue demanding attention by all, including public and private institutions and local
communities. A necessary starting point for the government to effectively manage GBV is
the development of comprehensive policy guidelines that set out in detail the roles and
responsibilities of all stakeholders, including government institutions, law enforcement
agencies individuals, civil society organizations and local communities.
This Bangladesh Police Gender Policy reflects relevant international and regional protocols
and instruments on gender equality and women empowerment principles. These guiding
principles provide both the legal and the management framework for the Bangladesh
Police Gender Policy. To effectively implement this policy, a Strategic Framework for
implementation, monitoring and evaluation has also been developed with clear guidelines
for achieving policy targets and goals and thereby reinforces gender equality as a core
value of the Bangladesh Police.
Bangladesh Police is committed to mainstreaming gender issues into the police structure
and administration and to improving police responses to gender based issues within the
police institution and in society more generally. To achieve the goal of this policy, the
Bangladesh Police looks forward to strengthening the existing collaboration with our
partners including the UN agencies, Development Partners, inter-governmental
institutions, international NGOs, Civil Society Organizations and the local communities and
the grassroots.
……………………….
InspectorGeneral of
Police

Gender Policy for Bangladesh Police, Police Reform Programme, UNDP
Table of Contents Page i
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ………………………………………….……………………………… i
Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………… ii
Section 1: Policy Commitments and Implementation Guidelines……………………….. 1
Section 2: Rationale, Framework, Declarations, Guiding Principles and Priorities…….. 3
Section 3: Policy Concerns, Goals, Objectives, Targets & Strategies…………………… 8
Section 4: Implementation Strategies for the Policy……………………………………. 10
Section 5: Institutional and Operational Frameworks …………………………………. 23
Annexures:
Annexure A: Gender Policy is a Part of Police Reform …………………………..… 24
Annexure B: Bangladesh and the International/Regional Policy Environment ……..... 27
Annexure C: Best Practices of Police Reform and Gender Equality Agenda................ 29
Annexure D: Methodology Adopted for Development of Gender Policy ………...... 31
Annexure E: Gender Issues and the Bangladesh Police: A Situational Analysis ………. 33
Annexure F: Gender Issues in the Police Act and in the Police Regulations ……...... 35
Annexure G: Echoes of Gender Disparity in the Bangladesh Police: A Field Assessment
…….……...... 37
Annexure H: Gender Based Violence and the Bangladesh Police …………….……...... 39
References: ……………………………………………………………………………… 42

Executive Summary Page ii
Executive Summary
Police play important roles in protecting the lives and property of individuals (men,
women, and children). Legally, the police are responsible for maintaining peace and order;
upholding the rule of law and performing their duties with sensitivity and regard for
members of the community. The recent global demand for police reform is correlated to a
number of factors such as the need to improve the public image of the police; and to make
police institutions more effective, accountable, equitable and rights based.
Gender mainstreaming is now seen as an integral part of police reform and a key to
operational effectiveness and institutional credibility. For example, increasing the
recruitment of female police officers to ensure an appropriate gender balance exists works
to reduce human (woman) rights violations and strengthens collaboration with women's
organizations to create an efficient, accountable and participatory police that has the
capacity to respond to the specific needs of men, women, girls and boys.
Developing a Gender Policy for the Bangladesh Police is therefore important at this time,
in view of the global and regional instruments that require proactive action by police
organisations to ensure gender equitable practices are delivered. Bangladesh has made
recent progress in instituting the National Women Development Policy – 2011 that
includes a core objective to undertake legislative reforms to guarantee gender justice and
respect for human rights.
The present Bangladesh Government has a vision to raise the number of women in political
leadership by implementing a quota of 30% of parliamentary seats for female politicians and to
ensure half the country’s workforce by 2021 is female. Immediate action needs to be undertaken
by the Bangladesh Police if this goal is to be achieved. An important first step in this process is
the development of the Bangladesh Police Gender Policy to set a clear path to attaining 50%
female staff in the organization and ensuring that all other components of the policy are reached.
Further institutional and financial support from the government is essential to ensure
implementation of the various policy commitments included in this policy document. It is
expected that this policy will generate further interest by engendering the Bangladesh
security sector, including the Rapid Action Battalion armed forces, customs, intelligence
services and prisons etc to undertake similar policy developments.
Policy framework, goals, and priorities: the Bangladesh Police Gender Policy has been
formulated within the framework of the Bangladesh Constitution which guarantees
equality and right to freedom from discrimination. Bangladesh is also committed to the
various global, regional, and national policy commitments towards gender equality and
women empowerment including Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against
Women, the Beijing Platform of Action, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the
Commonwealth Declaration on Gender Equality, the SAARC Protocol on the Rights of
Women in South East Asia for Gender Equality and the Bangladesh National Women
Development Policy-2011 amongst others.
This policy declaration reinforces the commitment of Bangladesh Police to eliminate
gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and other forms of gender-based violence

Executive Summary Page iii
whether it occurs in the police organization or in society more general (see Annexure H for
more details). Accordingly, the Bangladesh Police Gender Policy sets the policy platform
to correct gender imbalances in the Bangladesh Police (especially in recruitment, welfare,
training, transfers and placement, promotion and in assigning officers to decision making
positions etc). Also, the policy is guided by the philosophy and general principles of
human rights, gender equality, and women empowerment entrenched in international,
regional, and national laws and instruments (see Annexure Bfor details).
The overall goal of this policy is to promote gender equality and combat gender based
violence within the Bangladesh Police and to ensure that the police, as a major security
organ of the Bangladesh Government are able to effectively deal with gender-based
violence within the larger Bangladesh society. Through this policy, the Bangladesh Police
strives to achieve social, cultural, and ideological transformation in gender relations through
implementing gender sensitive regulations and orders and through the development of
technical skills in gender mainstreaming and for responding to gender-based violence.
Policy objectives
To achieve the overall goal of this policy, the following policy objectives are stated:
 Institutionalize a gender mainstreaming framework as a core value of the Bangladesh
Police;
 Promote amendments to the Police Act/Regulations that reflect CEDAW principles
and other global, regional, and national frameworks that support gender equality and
women empowerment;
 Reduce the current gender imbalance in the Bangladesh Police and make the
Bangladesh Police an equal opportunity employer;
 Build the technical capacity of the Bangladesh Police management to undertake
gender analysis and planning; and
 Strengthen the response to gender-based violence.
Also, the Bangladesh Police Gender Policy has a number of strategic directions, with the
following presenting an overarching influence:
 Promote the use of sex-disaggregated data, and gender statistics within all
Bangladesh Police Institutions; and
 Establish accountability procedures for the Implementation of the Gender Policy i.e.
coordination, networking and monitoring.

Section 1: Rationale and Guiding Principles Page 1
Section1: PolicyCommitments and Implementation Guidelines
Policy Commitments
This policy outlines a commitment by the Bangladesh Police to promote equality and the
protection of human rights for all citizens in Bangladesh. The successful implementation
of this policy will also work to reduce poverty and injustice in Bangladesh. Specifically,
this policy intends to incorporate gender equality strategies in programmatic and
organizational practices.
To this end, Bangladesh Police commits to:
 Promote gender equality1 as an explicit internationally recognized human right.
 Address systemic and structural practices that create barriers to the realization of
women’s rights and gender equality; including prevention and the response to
gender based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse.
 Actively involve men as allies in promoting gender equality.
 Develop and implement strategies that identify and manage potential risks to
women and men.
 Engage government, development partners and civil society organizations to
promote and support effective, creative and impactful ways to promote gender
equality.
 Monitor, evaluate and institutionalize organizational learning regarding specific
gender equality results.
 Actively hold Bangladesh Police personnel and others accountable to gender
equality standards.
 Ensure that key Bangladesh Police policies, systems and practices (including those
on budgeting, human resource recruitment, training and management, and decision
making support) for women’s rights and gender equality inside and outside of
Bangladesh Police.
 Ensuring adequate funding to realize Bangladesh Police commitments.
 Apply these commitments within Bangladesh Police and across all programme
areas using integrated planning approaches and recognized gender sensitive2 tools
and techniques such as gender analysis frameworks, collection of age/sex
disaggregated data, and results-focused design and evaluation.
1 Refers to a situation wherewomenandmen have equal conditions for realizing their full human rights and potential; are able to
contributeequally tonational political, economic, social and cultural development; and benefit equally from the results. Gender
Equality entails that the underlyingcauses of discriminationare systematically identified and removed in order to give women and
men equal opportunities. The concept ofGender Equality, as used in this policy framework, takes into account women's existin g
subordinate positions withinsocial relations andaims at the restructuringof society so as to eradicate male domination. T herefore,
equality is understood to include both formal equality and substantive equality; not merely simple equality to men.
2 Refers to the state of knowledge of the socially constructed differences between women and men, including differences in their
needs, as well as to the use of such knowledge to identify and understand the problems arising from such differences and to act
purposefully to address them.

Policy Implementation Guidance
Bangladesh Police commit to develop an action plan to implement the Gender Policy. .
More operational guidance and enforcement will be developed by Bangladesh Police
supported by the Gender Unit of the Police Reform Programme, and other stakeholders as
required to support the policy implementation.
standards are applied, monitored, adhered to and reported on:
1. Key organizational policy, planning and programmes will:
 Be based on data disaggregated by sex, age and other relevant diversity factors
such as rank, position, sex, ethnicity, religion, caste, etc.
 Explicitly state gender equality results and include relevant and feasible gender
sensitive indicators for every stage of planning, implementation, monitoring
and evaluation.
 Ensure sufficient gender budgeting funding to meet gender requirements and
formulate staff work plans and budgets accordingly.
2. Human Resources policies and practices will adequately address gender equality.
Bangladesh Police leadership will track and report annually on gender balance in staffing
and governance structures and implement specific strategies to balance male/female
representation.
3. Bangladesh Police to report regularly to the public on progress on gender equality
in Bangladesh Police’s work through appropriate reporting channels.
4. All officers in charge are to ensure the implementation of this policy.

Section 2: Rationale, Framework, Declarations, Guiding Principles and
Priorities
Rationale for the Policy
The Bangladesh Police is no doubt pivotal to the successful implementation of the
National Women Development Policy - 2011. It is therefore important for Bangladesh
Police to mainstream gender concerns into its institutional framework. This Gender
Policy provides the opportunity to set guidelines for police operations within a gender
responsive3 framework that allows for respect for human dignity, social justice, and the
elimination of those acts that serve as threats to individuals and national security.
Engendering4 the Bangladesh Police allows the police to better appreciate the
conflicting/competing interests in human society. Importantly, police have the mandate to
protect all interests and all groups including the poor and disadvantaged, women and other
vulnerable groups (not just those of the most visible and privileged groups in the society).
Developing a Gender Policy for the Bangladesh Police is important at this time in view of
the progress that Bangladesh has made instituting the National Women’s Development
Policy - 2011. Notably, the core strategies for achieving Bangladesh Police Gender Policy
were identified as:
 Policy partnerships and programme reform through mainstreaming of gender
concerns at all levels;
 Gender education and capacity building;
 Legislative reforms to guarantee gender justice and respect for human rights; and
 Economic reforms.
The Gender Policy for the Bangladesh Police is to explicitly address the following gender
issues5 amongst others:
 The importance of achieving equality between men and women, and social,
religious, and ethnic groups as a matter of national security;
 Affirmation of the equal rights of all men and women to participate in the Police
organisation and other similar institutions;
 Combat Gender Based Violence (GBV) against women, men, girls, and boys as a
key internal threat to security; and strategies to prevent, respond to and sanction
GBV, with allocation of appropriate human and financial resources;
 Eliminating discrimination within the Police Service (and related institutions) or in
the provision of services on the basis of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation or
any other improper basis;
3 Refers to a planningprocess in which programmes andpolicyactions are developedtodeal with andcounteract problems which arise
out of socially constructeddifferences betweenwomenandmen.
4 In Gender studies, engenderingrefers tothe process of integrating genderconsiderations andconcerns intowords,actionand
assessment.
5 Arise when the relationships betweenwomenandmen, theirroles, privileges, status and positions are identified and analyzed.
Gender issues arise where inequalities andinequities are shown toexist betweenpeoplepurelyon thebasis of their beingfemale
or male. The fact that gender and gender differences are socially constructed is itself a primary issue to deal with.

 Institutional codes of conduct, including specific provisions on discrimination,
sexual harassment and other forms of GBV;
 Establishing a mechanism that ensures the participation of civil society in the
implementation of security policies, and other security sector institutions; and
 Embracing the use of gender sensitive language in the Bangladesh Police and
related institutions.
By engendering the Bangladesh Police, police officers and staff will be able to appreciate
the heterogeneous nature of their target population, and in particular their broad range of
needs and interests. Bangladesh Police has a mandate to protect all interests and all
groups including women and other vulnerable groups, not just the most visible and
privileged groups in society. A gender blind legislation and/or policy could directly or
indirectly condone gender-based violence, gender inequality, and exclusionary practices.
The Policy Declaration
The Bangladesh Police recognizes the negative impacts of gender discrimination, sexual
harassment, and other forms of gender-based violence on society, and in particular on the
institution of the Police. Accordingly this policy shall:
 Align with the National Women Development Policy-2011, as a legal framework
and a platform for the adoption of a Gender Policy for the Bangladesh Police;
 See the emergence of a Gender Policy for the Police as a sure way to ensuring
professionalism, effective policing, and excellent performance as gender balancing
in the police evokes holistic achievement within the Police Organization with
women (alongside their male counterparts) performing as IGP, Additional IGP,
DIG among others.
 Correct the present gender imbalances in the Police (especially those relating to
recruitment; welfare; training; transfers and placement; promotion; heading
commands/other decision making positions);
 Ensure that during recruitment at least a senior police woman shall be included in
the Selection Board to enable a better assessment of women prospecting to be
recruited into the Police.
 Build the capacity of female and male police officers to handle issues of Gender
Based Violence, and train them on the existing laws relating to trafficking in persons
and Child's rights among others, for effective prosecution of gender related crimes.
 Engage in training and re-training of female/male officers on gender issues and
gender based violence issues. Ensure that training, promotion, and job enrichment
normally emphasizes talents and performance, but when necessary, some
affirmative action shall be adopted to bridge noticeable gender gaps;
 Allow women, like their male counterparts to head state Commands and other
Formations without bias to their gender.
 Endeavour to train female Police Officers on arms drill and on how to bear arms as
their duties increasingly require proficiency.
 Establish a Gender Unit in Bangladesh Police, to handle gender and gender based
violence issues .

 Engage in continuous training and re-training of officers in the respective Gender
Units to acquire necessary skills to adequately and professionally handle cases of
gender-based violence.
 Evolve special skills in treating the cases of human trafficking and sex work.
 Recognize the practical and strategic gender needs6 of male and female police
officers. Build structures within the Police to make reporting, and handling of
violence against women more gender friendly, efficient, and effective.
 Keep adequate record/data of gender violence for appropriate policy actions.
 Provide an enabling environment to give support to victims of gender-based
violence /violence against women, and punishment for perpetrators.
 Strengthen collaboration with other stakeholders working in related areas of gender
equality and women empowerment e.g. Ministry of Women and Children Affairs;
the Human Rights Commission; local NGOs; and development partners.
Guiding Principles of the Gender policy
The policy is guided by the philosophy and general principles of human rights, gender
equality, and women empowerment entrenched in International, Regional, and National
laws and instruments. Specifically, the policy adopts/adapts the general guiding principles
of the National Women Development Policy-2011. Furthermore, some best practices in
this regard of have been taken into considerations during the formulation of this policy too
(See for details Annexure- C). Some of The principles including:
 Promotion and protection of human rights, social justice and equity and
elimination of gender stereotypes and discrimination in the Police Commitment to
gender mainstreaming7 as a development approach which shall inform police
reform agenda, value re-orientation, and institutional transformation of the
Bangladesh Police.
 Commitment to gender equality mainstreaming and women's empowerment in all
Police engagements. Making gender analysis8 an integral part of all policy
articulation, implementation and evaluation undertaken by the Bangladesh Police,
including the Police Act, Regulations, and Force Orders etc.
 Transformation of the policy environment within which gender equity9
programmes are implemented and supported by adequate resources financial and
technical) and demonstrated political will.
 Promotion of women empowerment principles in the Police through bridging of
existing gender gaps and achieving this through specific affirmative action’s,
which would no way be deemed discriminatory.
6 Refers to needs which are identifiedas necessary totransform theexistingunequal relations between womenandmen. Addressing
women's strategic gender needs expedites women's empowerment andfacilitates the fundamental social transformationnecessaryfor
establishment ofgenderequality.
7 Refers toa process that is goal oriented.It recognizes that most institutions consciously and unconsciously serve the interests of men
andencourages institutions toadopt a gender perspective in transformingthemselves.It promotes the full participationof women in
decision-makingso that women's needs move fromthe margins to the centre of development planning and resource allocation.
8 Gender analysis is the study of socially determinedinequalities withinwomenandmen.Gender analysis entails studying"gender-
biases" which perpetuate gender inequalities in allsectors of society.
9 Refers to the fair andjust distributionof all means ofopportunities andresources betweenwomenandmen.

 Implement fully the recommendations as spelled out in the “Gender sensitive
policing” strategic paper of PRP.
 Zero tolerance to gender-based violence in the Bangladesh Police. Using the Policy
to build on existing structures and practices and drawing from international
experiences, best practices, and acceptable minimum standards.
Policy Priorities
The policy priorities are derived from the assessment of the policy environment, the internal
dynamics of the Bangladesh Police and its socio-cultural environment. Traditionally, the
Police are a masculinized institution, with its core values skewed against women. With the
recognition that gender concerns are now taken as an integral part of police reform, it is
important to set out clearly the framework for instituting the policy priorities.
The Gender Policy shall address the following priority areas:
 Institutionalization of gender equality and women empowerment concerns in the
Bangladesh Police (i.e. using the National Women Development Policy-2011
Framework to mainstream gender into the Bangladesh Police);
 Addressing the gender disparities in existing Police Acts, Regulations, and Force
Orders; rectify them; (vide Annexure –F for details).
 Work on recruitment policy, crush programme to recruit more women at officers,
all staff levels and work towards gender balance in the Bangladesh police. (vide
Annexure- E for details)
 Create appropriate environment inside the Bangladesh police so that more women
could be attracted to join Bangladesh Police;
 Developing the capacity and skills of the Bangladesh Police to handle gender-based
violence and violence against women inside and outside of the police;
 Implementation of recommendations as spelled out in the “Gender sensitive
policing” strategic paper prepared from gender section of PRP.
 Implementation and Institutional Strategies for the Bangladesh Police gender policy;
and Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks for the policy.
 Make contractual and later access of women easier to the Bangladesh Police at
higher levels of the administrative framework.
 Appoint more female at increased rate in the administrative, policy making posts.
 Appoint/nominate women in the various UN branches and subsidiaries and in other
international organizations at state representative or candidate from among female
Police.
 To increase quota for women at all level and gazette or non-gazette positions at
entry points aimed at accelerated empowerment of women.
 To continue with quota system till the fixed quota for the women is fulfilled in all
levels of Bangladesh Police.
 From now and onward start taking all out efforts to appoint female police in the
30% posts of Bangladesh Police to ensure women's equal and full participation at
the decision making levels including policy making positions in accord with the
recommendations of the United Nations' Economic and Social Council.

Section 3: Policy Concerns, Objectives, Targets & Strategies Page 7
Section 3: Policy Concerns, Objectives, Targets & Strategies
Policy Concerns
By this policy, the Bangladesh Police should strives to achieve social, cultural, and
ideological transformation in gender relations within the Bangladesh Police as well as in
the larger Bangladesh society, through gender sensitive regulations and orders, and
improved technical skills in gender mainstreaming and in the handling of gender-based
violence.
The policy addresses the following concerns:
 Institutionalization of gender equality and women empowerment concerns in the
Bangladesh Police (Bangladesh Police);
 Gender disparities in existing Police Acts, Regulations, and Force Orders; and The
capacity and skills of the Bangladesh Police to handle gender-based violence and
violence against women
Policy Objectives
To achieve the overall goal of this policy, the following policy objectives are drawn,
which are as follows.
 To establish equal rights of men and women police in areas of state and public life
in the light of the constitution of Bangladesh by Institutionalize gender
mainstreaming framework as a core value in the Bangladesh Police;
 To ensure security and safety of women in all areas of state, social and family life.
 To establish human rights of women and men police and their beneficiaries inside
and outside of Bangladesh police.
 Infuse into the Police Act/Regulations the principle of CEDAW and other global,
regional, and national frameworks that support gender equal equality and women
empowerment;
 Reduce the current gender gap in the Police and make the Bangladesh Police an
equal opportunity employer;
 Build the capacity of the Police services to effectively handle cases of gender-
based violence/violence against women.
 Establish human rights of women so as to ensure full and equal participation of
women in the mainstream socio-economic development.
 Give appropriate recognition to women's contribution in policing.
 Eliminate all forms of abuse and discrimination of women and girl children.
 To innovate and import technology favoring the interest of women and prohibit
anti-women technologies.
 Ensure taking appropriate steps to ensure sound health and nutrition of the women
police.
 Ensure priority of women police in provision for proper shelter and housing;

Section 3: Policy Concerns, Goals, Objectives, Targets & Strategies Page 8
 Arrange rehabilitation of the women affected in natural calamities and armed
conflicts.
 Extend overall assistance by the police to ensure rights of the disabled women and
women belonging to the smaller ethnic groups.
 Arrange safety of the widow, aged, guardian-less, husband abandoned, unmarried
and childless women.
 Ensure gender perspective10 of women police in the mass media including positive
image of the women and female children.
 Assist and give support services in flowering of talented, genius women police of
their creative potentials.
Policy Targets and Strategies
Specific targets and strategies to achieve the policy objectives are itemized below.
Objective 1: Institutionalize gender mainstreaming framework and treat gender equality
as a core value in the Bangladesh Police.
Targets:
 In line with the National women Development policy 2011, a Gender Management
System11 is to be established and operationalized by the Bangladesh Police by
2013.
 Specific budgets shall be earmarked for gender mainstreaming in the Bangladesh
Police starting from 2013.
 The Police are declared an equal opportunity employer, with particular interest in
working towards gender balance in the Bangladesh Police. In line with the
National Women Development policy -2011, the Bangladesh Police shall adopt at
least a 15% non-cadre police for females in all recruitment exercises to fast track
reduction in the present gender gap in enlistment in the Bangladesh Police.
Strategies
Strengthen the capacity of the Police to operate a gender responsive system through
effective partnership with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Social
Development; and the Development Partners (e.g. UNDP, UN WOMEN/UNFPA/IOM etc).
Build the capacity of all personnel of Bangladesh Police through appropriate trainings on
gender and GBV issues and how to adapt gender mainstreaming tools to achieve gender
sensitive administrative and organizational functioning of the Bangladesh Police.
Sensitize policymakers and all key actors in the Bangladesh Police on their respective
roles in engendering the Police. Develop specific Framework/Plans of action for the
implementation of the Bangladesh Police Gender Policy.
10
Refers to an approach in whichthe ultimate goal is to create equityandequalitybetweenwomenand men. Such an approach has a
set of tools for and guidelines on how to identify the impact on development of the relations and roles of women and men.
11 Refers to a holistic andsystem-wide approachto gender mainstreamingdevelopedfor the use of governments in partnership with
other stakeholders, includingcivil societyandthe private sector.In this policyframework,it refers to a comprehensive network of
structures, mechanisms and processes to enable government and other organizations to contribute to gender equality.

Section 3: Key Areas of Gender Policy Page 9
Section 4: Key Areas of Gender Policy
Internal/inside of the Bangladesh Police
Staff recruitment: To increase quota at all levels to ensure increased employment of the
women and ensure its effective implementation. At present, there are only 4.23% female
police are working in the Bangladesh Police (Bangladesh Police, recruitment section, Oct,
2012). In 2007, women police constituted only 2% of the total police. Therefore,
immediate steps for recruitment of at least 10% women cadre officers and 15% of non
cadre staff within 2020 into the Bangladesh Police with crush implementation plan of
action. As at present there are almost 150,000 workforce sanctioned for the Bangladesh
Police out of whom 6186 person are female. If at the end of 2020 (i.e. after 8 years) we
would target to enhance the female police cadre officers to at least 10%, and non cadre
female personnel at 15% , then we need to increase 1.5%/year more female in the total
workforce. This immediate plan should be implemented by the Bangladesh Police. With
this plan in mind, Bangladesh Police should initiate a recruitment process against the
vacant posts. To do so, First of all, lunch massive Advocacy in print and electronic
media and with the Government of Bangladesh so that Bangladesh Police gets the
support of mass people, M/O finance, public Administration, M/O Law and Justice, relevant
other ministries and the Home Ministry in particular to get government orders for immediate
implementation of recruitment process of more women police for Bangladesh Police. As
such, it should do advocacy with the aforesaid actors and explain to them why gender needs
to be incorporated within the institutional structure of Bangladesh Police.
 Practical ways to have a balanced team of women and men :
 Widely distribute vacancy announcements to attract a diverse pool of
applicants
 Check the experiences and educational requirements are not narrowly defined
 Where men or women underrepresented, the vacancy announcement could say
“ Qualified women/men are encouraged to apply”
 Include both women and men in the interview panels
 Evaluate all candidates against the same criteria
 Do not assume that some jobs are too difficult or dangerous for women
 Provide training on gender and cultural diversity to all staff
 Keep all staffing data disaggregated by sex for easy monitoring
 Special Program for recruitment of Small Ethnic and Backward Group Women in
the Bangladesh Police so as to ensure all the rights of the small ethnic and backward
groups of people for the development and growth of their womenfolk; and to
undertake special program aimed at development of backward women.
Rapid Promotion of female police officers and posting in decision making positions
As at present there is a lack of female officers at the senior ranks and positions, as female
officers recruitment was withheld for 10 long years and as there are not enough women in
the decision making positions, as lots of mid level female police are eligible for
promotions to decision making positions and ranks, as there are lower percentage of female
in senior positions- it is recommended to give rapid promotions of female officers to make

gender balance at the decision making positions of Bangladesh Police. This sort of
increasing the number of female police officers is higher ranks will encourage other
women in the country to be recruited to the police.
Recruitment rule for Bangladesh Police
As there is a no formal recruitment/appointment rules for Bangladesh Police,
instituting a Recruitment rules is immediately necessary: Bangladesh Police should
design and implement a new recruitment policy and formulate a recruitment rule which
should be validated by the Ministry of : Home affairs/law/PSC/public administration then
approved by the President of Bangladesh, whereby it sets a specific target of recruiting a
certain number of women police for the next 10 years. For instance, it can set the target for
national quota of 10% female cadre police officers and 15% of non cadre police female
personnel by 2020. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Police Headquarters feel that
they have to attain the recruitment quotas of 10% at the officer level and 15% at the non
cadre level. Encouragement has been given from the ministerial level to ensure that larger
numbers of women are brought in to increase female in the police service.
Retention of female police
To retain present working female in Bangladesh Police, it is necessary to eliminate all
discriminatory practices. The following some few measures also taken into considerations:
 To undertake programs for imparting special training facilities for rural and urban
women so that they are motivated to serve in the Bangladesh Police.
 To create necessary environment to promote access of women to employment
areas at increasing rate, their position as such and continue their advancement.
 To make necessary reforms of all concerned law, rule and policy for wider
employment of women in police.
Leave
Parental leave for both mother and father: Parental leave is important not only for the
mother but for the father as well. Paid leave gives parents the time to provide great
prenatal and postnatal care, lowers accident rates and allows a great sense of bonding. This
will give the family the opportunity to unite, relax, and be together as a family before
work and family spill over is introduced. According to Motherhood Manifesto, paid family
leave will help out the Bangladesh Police by saving money on training and recruitment.
This will lead to higher job satisfaction and in return will lead to better work productivity.
Transport: Provide cycle and motor cycles/vehicles to women and teach them how to
drive them. Many woman police officers expressed their interest to drive motor cycles/cars.
Day Care Centre: Day care centre should be established in all police line /women police
barrack so that working police mothers can keep their children at the day care centres and
work without anxiety and at the same time have personal and professional lives.
Toilet Facilities: As separate toilets are necessary for women police, every Police
station/police premises, there should be separate toilets for women. For patrol duty, portable
toilets can be arranged.

Attitudinal and behavior change: The nature of the message plays a role in persuasion.
Both negative and positive sides of a gender and GBV issues presentation are useful to
help change attitudes. When people are not motivated to process the message, simply the
number of arguments presented in a persuasive message will influence attitude change,
such that a greater number of arguments will produce greater attitude change in the
Bangladesh police. Thus, attitudinal change is necessary for both men and female Police
personnel. Series of gender orientation and training needs to be organized to address why
women police do not feel they are equal stakeholders at the workplace. That’s why
traditional patriarchal conceptions of men police need to be challenged and rectified on an
urgent basis. “(In italics Quoted from women policing, PRP paper from gender section).
Different staff development and capacity building special trainings should be organized for
all the police personnel. Combine attitude with social pressure.
Facilitate more accommodations at the police stations, police schools and police lines for
female police.
Accommodation problem that confront female police in requires a holistic approach to
resolve once and for all. In general, the conditions of most of the existing structures left
much to be desired, posing a threat to human security, peace and stability. The problem of
accommodation for female police seemed to have eluded solution for years. Successive
governments had set up committees in attempts to find lasting solution to the problem, but
to no avail, and compelled to suspend recruit of women into the Police Service because of
to the acute shortage of residential accommodation for female personnel. There is a critical
need of additional police personnel to enable it cope with the ever increasing demand of its
work but, the accommodation problem is very chaotic, poorly housed in overcrowded
premises.
Hence there must be good plans to face accommodation challenges faced by female
police. This may be solved by establishing barracks, accommodation within a shortest
period. There is no doubt that this situation affects them psychologically, socially and
physically and in turn reflects on their attitude and performance. It is inhuman for both
sexes of police recruits to sleep in inhuman/insecure conditions.
Ensure accommodation of the women police. If there is no space in the police stations,
Bangladesh Police /local police can arrange a common residence where all women police
can stay together. It also has to provide rest rooms for women police when they are on
field visits. (“National Gender Strategies for women in policing”, Gender section of the
PRP 2011)
Furthermore, include women in all police housing plans and shelter arrangements in the
countryside and the urban areas so as to put special emphasis on affording adequately safe
home and accommodation facilities to single female police, woman headed police family,
female police , apprentice and under training women police; also arrange special privileges
like hostel, dormitory, temporary accommodation facilities and to make provision to make
reserve in the police barracks plans for the single working female police.
Increase the deployment of more women police to UN Peace-Keeping Missions

United Nations police personnel are the Blue Helmets on the ground. They are contributed
by national police from across the globe, including Bangladesh. They work alongside UN
Police and civilian colleagues to protect personnel and property; maintain close
cooperation with other military entities in the mission area; and work to promote stability
and security. They work with the local community and the local military personnel to
bring about greater mutual understanding and work together towards a lasting peace.
Protection of civilians is very often at the heart of Bangladesh Police mandate and it is the
Blue Helmets that are key to providing this security. The journalist also advocates for an
increased number of women police in the peacekeeping forces for the simple reason that
women “are not men” and that, as a result, they are less likely to rape the local
populations and they are also better to ensure peace.
In 2005 Bangladesh Police sent its first Formed Police Unit (FPU) to the UN
Peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast. Bangladesh is the top police contributing country of
UN. At present 2050 members of Bangladesh Police is deployed in six countries in seven
UN Missions including two Female FPU one in Haiti and another in Congo. As there is a
huge demand of female police for the Peacekeeping missions, special trainings should be
created to fulfill the demands.
Reasons for not sending more female police to missions: most of the Bangladesh Police
female are not well trained to participate in peacekeeping mission, weak in UN languages
etc To overcome this situation, Bangladesh Police should take further measures to improve
women’s participation in all stages of peace processes, particularly in conflict resolution,
post-conflict planning and peace building, including by “enhancing their engagement in
political and economic decision-making at early stages of recovery processes, through
inter alia promoting women’s leadership and capacity to engage in aid management and
planning, supporting women’s organizations, and countering negative societal attitudes
about women’s capacity to participate equally”( ref: UN Security Council Resolution
1889)
Create gender sensitive work environment by:
 explicitly stating the organizational commitment towards gender
 providing a direction towards building gender related agenda
 providing a framework for effectively integrating gender concerns into the
organizational agenda and policy domain
 Creating equal opportunities and a conducive environment for female and male
police at work place.
 Promoting equal representation and participation of women in decision making at
the professional/ programmatic and administrative levels.
 Creating an atmosphere in which the staff can work together, free from sexual
harassment.
Organize more special trainings for female police
The Bangladesh Police needs to provide in special batches ‘more capacity building,
management, preparation for peacekeeping missions, community policing, CID,
investigative, administrative, financial, development and all sorts other capacity building

trainings to its women officers so as to ensure that female police do not lag behind their
male colleagues’.
Since gender and GBV issues is not addressed sufficiently in the main curriculum of the
Bangladesh Police, (see for details Annexure-G) there should be more gender/GBV
related trainings for all Bangladesh Police workforce. A need-assessment of gender
training should be conducted and appropriate measures taken to incorporate gender in
the main syllabus of the Bangladesh Police. If the basic concepts are addressed in the
main syllabus, then the police can gain an understanding of these above mentioned and
other issues like gender concepts, role of Gender-based policing etc. very early on in their
policing career. If they have a basic and uniform background on gender issues,
specialized gender trainings will be more effective. In addition, if both male and female
police recognize that gender sensitivity is an institutional priority, they will be encouraged
to act in a gender sensitive way. (Women in Bangladesh policing, Gender section, PRP,
2011).
Incentives for trainers/facilitators
As there are frequent transfers sought by the trainers from training centres of police, the
trainers/facilitators working in the training centres should be given special financial or
other incentives so that they remain and continue to serve in the training centres.
Stop assaults, harassment - Violence in the Workplace
The Bangladesh Police should implement a sexual harassment policy to ensure that women
police are not physically, mentally or sexually harassed in the workplace. Bangladesh
Police should form a guideline for what is acceptable behavior, define what constitutes
sexual harassment and set out the disciplinary measures if someone commits the crime.
There should be a committee that can investigate allegations of sexual harassment in an
unbiased and respectful manner. A well-defined sexual harassment policy can protect the
interests of the existing women police as well as attract new women to join the service as
they realize that Bangladesh Police is committed towards creating a gender-sensitive
workplace (quoted from women in policing).
Gender Committees and role of Bangladesh PoliceWN: Strengthen the Bangladesh
Police Women's Network
The Bangladesh Police Women's Network (Bangladesh PoliceWN) which was established in
2008 is playing a substantial positive role in Bangladesh Police. If serious thought and
efforts are put into strengthening the network, it can work as a very important pressure
group. Bangladesh PoliceWN is playing a vital role to promote gender issues as well as to
increase representation of women police by ensuring that Bangladesh Police undertakes
and implements appropriate strategies and policies in a timely and effective manner. It
supports and motivates working female staff to take positive leadership roles within the
police service. However, in order to have a positive outcome and impact, BWPN must
strengthen itself and become an indispensable stakeholder within Bangladesh Police.
Establish divisional Gender Forum and Central Focal Persons /Committees
A divisional gender forum and central focal persons/committees should be created so that it

can act as platform and as a pressure group on gender issues once PRP comes to an end.
This forum and committees can be a part of BWPN or they can be independent units
working towards achieving the goal of establishing gender-sensitive practices and
ideologies within the Bangladesh Police. Having a divisional gender forum and committees
can ensure the sustainability of the proposed programmes in the absence of PRP and other
external forces
(In italics quoted from women in policing).
Create Central Level Gender Management Committees (GMS) Structures
The following structures must be put in place for the sustainability of the policy:
 Creation of a National Gender Management Committee chaired by the IG.
 Creation of a Gender Critical Mass (a technical committee charged with the day to
day functions of engendering the Bangladesh Police);
 Establishment of Gender Desk Officers in the HQ; and
 Establishment of a Gender Unit under the IG's Office.
Adopting for the Bangladesh Police the Institutional Framework for Gender
Mainstreaming as spelt out in the Women Development Policy-2011
To achieve the overall policy goal, the Bangladesh police Gender Policy shall adopt the
Gender Management System projected in the National Women Development policy-2011.
These calls for a ‘system-wide approach' to gender mainstreaming in the Bangladesh Police
which will necessitate:
a. Identifying the general functions of all collaborating Institutions within the
Bangladesh Police, as relating to the Bangladesh Police
b. Developing a Gender Mainstreaming Framework for the Bangladesh Police;
c. Putting in place a Gender Management Committee to direct the
institutionalization of gender equality and women empowerment as a core value
Within the Bangladesh Police.
Awareness Creation/Sensitization and Advocacy
Sensitization and advocacy activities should target the entire Police System i.e. The Police
Headquarters, Divisions, Districts, and upazillas, Ministry of Home Affairs; Among
others.
Findings of the field assessment show that many officers of the Police do not have much
knowledge on the key gender issues within the Bangladesh Police; neither do they have
a good understanding of key gender concepts. It is therefore important to expose all police
personnel to key gender concepts and their relevance for the police work e.g. gender
discrimination; gender-based violence/violence against women, sexual harassment,
domestic violence, and rape, human trafficking, sex work etc.
The success of this policy will depend on the extent of support that will be rendered by the
Bangladesh police management, and senior officers of the Police (especially men). It is
therefore important to specially carry out advocacy activities amongst the Bangladesh
Police management and the senior officers of the Bangladesh Police.

Reform/engender Existing police Acts/Regulations/Orders and Practices
Review and engender existing Police Acts/ PRB/ Regulations in line with the principles of
gender equality and women empowerment as stated in relevant global (e.g. CEDAW);
regional (e.g. the protocol to the SAARC Charter on the Rights of Women); and National
(e.g. the Bangladesh Constitution; the National Women Development Policy-2011 etc)
frameworks. Repeal all gender-based discriminatory laws and regulations as contained in
the Police Acts,/PRB/ Regulations and Orders.
It is important to add gender equality and women empowerment agenda to the current
police reform drive going on in the country. To achieve a zero tolerance for gender
discrimination, and gender-based violence within the Bangladesh Police, the existing Police
Acts/Regulations/Orders and Practices would need urgent review, and the gender
blind/obsolete sections/language expunged (see Annexure- F for details)
Value Re-orientation and Gender Equality/Women Empowerment as a Core Value
within the Bangladesh Police
Gender inequality is as old as the human society. It is therefore expected that there will be
a natural resistance to a gender equality and women empowerment agenda (often seen as
culturally threatening). It is therefore important to give more attention/time to target
intervention programmes that would help adults to make necessary adjustments to
embrace gender equality and women empowerment principles considering its ‘dual
agenda' i.e. benefits to individual women and men; and as an integral part of sustainable
national development.
Capacity Building and Skill Development:
It is important to build the capacity of the Bangladesh police at two levels, viz:
 skill in gender mainstreaming as an administrative tool;
 Specific skills in core gender areas e.g. handling of gender-based violence/sexual
harassment both at institutional and societal levels; handling gender issues in
human trafficking, and sex work etc.
To redress the gender imbalance in the Bangladesh Police, and to establish gender
equality and women empowerment as a core value in the Bangladesh Police, all Police
Personnel must be in tune with the technical demands of gender mainstreaming into
Bangladesh Police institution and functions. More importantly, a critical mass of gender
sensitive officers/gender advocates must be instituted to champion this course of change in
the Bangladesh Police. This critical mass must be equipped with the requisite technical
skill to bring about the desired change for the achievement of gender equality.
Research, Data Management, and Evidence Based Planning:
The dynamics of gender relations and its impact on socio-economic and human
development are better understood and supported when they are based on evidence.

Presently, the Bangladesh Police has a dearth of data on gender issues and gender
dynamics within the Bangladesh Police. Policy makers are likely to support the drive for
gender equality and women empowerment when these are based on data and evidence
which are usually provided by research outcomes. A core element of the gender policy
will also be to engage in vigorous gender research in the Police and data generated for
policy change. Also, it is important for the Bangladesh Police to embrace the tradition of
keeping gender statistics such that it becomes easier to use existing data to generate
evidence and/or discourse on gender issues in the police.
Human/Woman's Rights Protection:
Bangladesh Police was established for the prevention and detection of crime, apprehension
of offenders, preservation of law and order, the protection of life and property and due
enforcement of all laws and regulations with which they are directly charged and perform
such duties within Bangladesh as may be required of them by or under the authority of any
other Act.
As a signatory to many of the UN Declarations on Gender equality and women
empowerment (e.g. CEDAW; Bangladesh PoliceFA etc) Bangladesh is bound to protect
women's rights and gender equality principles. Also, the Constitution of the country
prohibits discriminatory treatment based on ethnic grouping, place of origin, sex, religion
or political opinion.
In 2011, the Government of Bangladesh developed a women development Policy which
has as goal, to ‘build a just society devoid of discrimination, harness the full potentials of
all social groups regardless of sex or circumstance, and promote the enjoyment of
fundamental human rights and protect the health, social, economic and political well being
of all citizens’.
The Bangladesh Police has a duty to ensure the maintenance of law and order based on the
aforesaid; while it is also accountable for its own actions, and to exhibit a greater respect
for human/woman's rights principles. The Bangladesh Police is one of the foremost
institutions charged with the protection of human/woman's rights.
Networking and Coordination
The gender equality and women empowerment agenda requires a multi-sectoral
cooperation because of its cross-cutting nature. In its gender-based reforms, Bangladesh
Police would need to partner and network with stakeholders within and outside the
Bangladesh Police to bring about desired outcomes. Such networks include:
a. Collaboration within Bangladesh Police institutions to bring about desired results
(e.g. the
Police Headquarters and Divisional ranges; the Ministry of Home Affairs; and the
Police Service Commission etc);
b. Networking with line ministries (e.g. Ministries of Women Affairs /Social
Development, Education, Law & Justice and Health); as well as other government
departments and agencies such as the Human Rights Commissions.

c. Networking with Civil Society Organizations especially those working in local
communities on issues of rights, social justice, and gender-based violence
(especially those providing therapeutic counseling, shelter and safe home to
victims).
d. Working with community leaders (men and women) to institute gender concerns in
a community-based policing initiative.
To be effective, the policy requires effective coordination both at the institutional and
service delivery levels. It is therefore important to institute a coordinating framework for
the Bangladesh Police GP, which consists of: A Gender Desk Officer within the
Bangladesh Police and A Gender Management Committee vested with the overall
responsibilities of implementing this policy within the Bangladesh Police.
Making Gender Responsive Budget for Bangladesh Police and Gender Disaggregated
Database
To continue with gender responsive budget making program to ensure women
development and to implement duly the gender responsive budget and under the mid-term
budgetary framework i.e. in the matter of state budget making continuing with following
Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB).To strengthen the implementation and monitoring
framework and to ensure best use of budgeted amount and its proper utilization; and to
take steps to gender disaggregated collection and insertion of information/data and arrange
their regular publication, GO and NGO research centers, Bureau of Statistics and primary
information/data collection unit of the educational institutions should build up gender
disaggregated database concerning status and role of women. Gender-based
information/data (inside and outside of Bangladesh Police) collection, preservation and
publication. Similarly all the concerned ministries/office, corporation, bank and financial
institutions should collect gender based information/data, preserve them and arranged their
publication from all their activities.
Furthermore, without adequate financing and budgetary allocations for the implementation
of this policy, most of the objectives might not be fulfilled. It is therefore important to
provide adequate budgetary allocations for the implementation of the Bangladesh Police GP.
It is important that gender budgeting becomes part of the gender balancing mandates of the
Bangladesh Police, while specific budgetary allocations are provided annually for specific
gender-focused/women empowerment initiatives, gender is mainstreamed into the general
activities/functions of the Bangladesh Police.
The implication of gender budgeting must be clearly understood by the entire
management of Bangladesh Police, with gender budgeting principles imbibed in its
service functions and roles.
Impact Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation
The impact assessment of the Bangladesh Police GP is to be carried out on a routine basis
(preferably yearly). This allows the documentation of ‘what went well' and ‘what went wrong’

with the policy and the extent to which the policy meets the needs of men, women, girls,
and boys. The assessment process also helps to document the extent to which the policy
fulfils its identified objectives.
Make policing attractive to women
Design and implement a quota system (for a period of 10 years) to achieve a target of 10%
women officers and 15% non cadre female police in the Bangladesh Police by 2020. This
will be in line with the National Women Development Policy-2011.
 At least the 2 most senior female police officer are incorporated into the top
management team.
 Establish gender sensitive criteria to guide recruitment, promotion, training, and
other job enrichments for the Bangladesh Police, thereby ensuring women equal
representation through the ranks, and their participation in all levels of decision
making positions.
 More female posting in CID, Investigation section, as OCs/SPs in
DMP/CMP/RMP/KMP/SMP/BMP/RMP (in divisional HQs) and other OCs
position equitably. (There are only 2 female out of 50 PSs police Officers in Charges
in Dhaka Metropolitan city, which is a sad and disappointing reality though there
are lots of excellent qualified female officers are there).
 Encourage more community policing in urban and rural areas and encourage
female members to serve there. Engage more NGOs/CBOs/CSOs as a way to bring
the community and police together in resolving the problems at the community
level.
 Establish more model police stations (thanas) in metropolitan and rural areas and
give posting/employ more female there so as to demonstrate how community
policing can benefit the community and ensure their needs and expectations can be
met. “These thanas are dedicated to deliver pro people policing service in their
engagements with the local community. Police community consultation is a process
to assist Bangladesh police to engage the community in crime revention and the
community safety through the community policing” (Community policing:
National strategy for Bangladesh, PRP report).
Strategies:
To deal with the current gender imbalance in the Bangladesh Police, more women should
attract training opportunities, promotions, and other job enrichments that could help them
qualify for top positions so as to improve the gender balance in top management positions
in the Bangladesh Police.
Design a proactive campaign targeted at secondary schools, colleges and tertiary
institution students; possibly an internship programme that would bring students closer to
the police. A police open day that would show case activities of female police officers.
Monitoring mechanisms should be in place to ensure compliance with equal opportunity
recruitment criteria, and gender specific affirmative action to increase the quota of women
in the Bangladesh Police (especially in the top management positions).

Increasing the number of women in the Bangladesh Police is expected to support more
effective community relations, since a police service whose composition more adequately
reflects the population it serves may result in greater legitimacy. It can potentially
moderate extremes in the use of force, and above all, can result in a police service that
responds effectively and with commitment to preventing abuses of women's rights. Having
more women in the police does not automatically guarantee a more gender-sensitive
police. However, because incentive systems and training may still reinforce operating
practices that discriminate against women, particularly if women in the police are present
in just token numbers, efforts to recruit women must ‘aim high' in the sense of seeking to
attract large numbers of women to improve gender parity. Recruitment drives targeting
women must avoid gendered divisions of labour and power that relegate women to the
lower ranks and the least-valued tasks.
Female police and Technology
To reflect gender perspective in the matter of innovation, impart and application of new
technology and to take initiative to purge the harmful elements, if any, from the
technology by conducting research on it if the application of such innovated technology
affects adversely the interest of the women.
Make necessary arrangements/ legislations and reform inside Bangladesh Police for
achieving the aims in favor of the women police in the field of IT/other technologies
adaptation and application in their workplace.
Outside of Bangladesh police
Build the capacity of the Bangladesh Police to recognize and effectively handle cases of
gender-based violence/violence against women both inside the Police and outside in the
society. The Bangladesh Police is equipped with the skills and capabilities to handle
gender- based violence (including domestic violence; violence against women; and sexual
harassment); and other general gender issues at the larger society/community. The
Bangladesh Police has capabilities to provide adequate help, protection, support and
justice to victims of gender-based violence.
What to do:
 Establish a GBV Accountability System such that there is an effective complaint
receiving and processing mechanism (such as complain box system) in the
Bangladesh Police thereby ensuring response to GBV within the police and in the
larger society. The complains must be monitored by a third party to avoid conflict
of interest.
 Gender-based violence/violence against women (especially sexual harassment)
must be eliminated from the Bangladesh Police.
 Educate and sensitize all stakeholders on the centrality of having gender equality
and women empowerment principles as a core value within the Bangladesh Police.
 Total “Zero tolerance” for sexual assaults, harassment and GBV in the
Bangladesh Police.

Strategies:
Include Gender Issues (e.g. gender relations, human trafficking, and sex work, gender-
based violence) in the curricula of Bangladesh Police Training Academy and all other
training centres and all other short-term training/lectures, including workshops, seminars,
special lecture series, newsletters and Bangladesh Police/ PRP/Bangladesh Police Website
etc.
Build structures within the Police to make reporting, and handling of gender based
violence more gender friendly, efficient, and effective.
Establish a Gender-Based Violence Unit in all police stations to provide information to
victims and perpetuators of GBV; an enabling environment to give support to victims of
gender based violence /violence against women: and punishment for perpetrators.
The Bangladesh Police shall apply special skills in treating the cases of gender based
violence and other related gender issues e.g. human trafficking and sex work.
The Bangladesh Police shall strengthen collaboration with other stakeholders working in
related area of gender equality and women empowerment e.g. Ministry of Women and
Children Affairs; Ministry of law/Justice; the Human Rights Commission, CSOs/ NGOs
etc.
Regular audit of the Bangladesh Police by Experts to document progress and extent of use
of the data for media.
Establish more Support Services points
Support services like child care facilities, workplace day-care center for the children,
housing for the female police health care and recreational facilities, extension and
improvement aimed at effective participation women in all economic activities and
development process.
Establish more Victim Support /one stop crisis centres in all other districts where
there are intense occurrences of GBV.
Draw up criteria of what constitutes sexual harassment within the Bangladesh Police, and
line of reporting and dealing with sexual harassment within the Bangladesh Police.
The Bangladesh Police will prosecute cases of gender-based violence and present an
annual report.
Public enlightenment and advocacy for zero tolerance to gender-based violence; and
improved knowledge on the consequences of gender-based violence on individuals and the
society at large.
Build community outreach section in metropolitan police stations:
The Community Outreach Section may toward building relationships and safer
communities, providing information and addressing concerns as best as Bangladesh Police

can together – while making personal contacts and connections with community/
neighborhood residents, community groups and businesses with programs and services
such as:
“Living Room Conversations”
Literally, a “living room conversation” that brings together a small number of precinct
officers and neighborhood residents for an opportunity to meet one-on-one with each other
and have an informal and open dialogue about public safety in one’s home.
Community Advisory Councils in metropolitan police services
Councils may include members of the different communities with their different religion,
affiliations to the different political parties. They may meet to discuss concerns,
recommendations and perspectives from their communities, as well as provide feedback
on policies and practices to develop better lines of communication with Police.
Build Youth Relationships
Officers may participate in different opportunities to continually build their connection
with young people with programs and services like Youth Dialogues/Forums, Bangladesh
Police may explore, and Youth Violence Prevention. Senior commanders also serve on the
Youth Commission to meet with young leaders and discuss police programs and policies.
Establish Community Police Academy
For proactive communication with police and community, businesses and community
based organizations to strengthen public safety practices and programs to ensure the Police
Department is working toward responding to and reducing the fear of crime, it is necessary
to establish a community police academy, where capacity building training opportunities
may be created ,which may be organized for members of the community to learn first-
hand about community policing, public safety issues, the role of police officers and the
operations of the Bangladesh Police departments through different
trainings/workshops/FGDs at the Community Police Academy.

Section 5: Institutional and Operational Frameworks Page 22
Section 5: Institutional and Operational Frameworks
Establishing a Gender Management System for the Policy
A major step in operationalizing this policy is to create a coordinating unit for the
engendering process of the Bangladesh Police; that is a Gender Management System
suitable for the Bangladesh Police. This will be undertaken using the 4 categories identified
in the National Gender Management System the Bangladesh Police Gender Management
System would involve the following institutional mechanisms and processes:
Creating Enabling Environment
This will involve actions geared towards:
 Establishing political will for the policy through sensitization and advocacy
engagements with Bangladesh Police management and senior police officers
Creating champions for the institutionalization of the policy
 A vigorous push for the acceptance of gender equality and women empowerment
as a core value in the Bangladesh Police
 Legislative and administrative support for the policy
 Support from Development Partners and the Civil Society Organisations to ensure
the success of the Bangladesh Police Gender Policy
 Provision of adequate human and financial resources for the implementation of
the policy.

Annexure A Page 23
Annexure - A
GENDER POLICY IS A PART OF POLICE REFORM
Bangladesh womenfolk had been exploited and neglected for ages together. They were
always suppressed under religious bigotry, social stigma, narrow-mindedness and
discrimination in a male dominated society. The talent and labor spent by our women in
their household chores were never properly evaluated. Begum Rokeya, pioneer of
women's movement made clarion call for awakening of the women saying, “You just
educate your daughters and let them make their own livelihood.” There clear directives in
this call of her as to how to achieve their rights. The women responded to the call in the
last leg of the 19th century that reverberated centering round generally the education. In
addition, the women became conscious of wresting their rights by participating in the anti-
British Movement. The participation of women in the Language Movement of '52, mass
revolution of '69 and independence war of 1971 was important milestone to this end. As a
result of all these, Bangladesh emerged as an independent state through the bloody war of
Liberation. Alongside men, the womenfolk of this country made a great contribution in the
War of Liberation. In the War of Liberation more than 100 thousands of our mothers and
sisters lost their honor in the hands of Pakistani hordes. The heinous crime against human
rights can never be forgotten. Our women started becoming self-reliant from the direct
experience of War of Liberation. Great reawakening was there among them who expected
to receive education and have employment. The illiterate women in the countryside evince
keen interest to become self-reliant. It became a paramount need that women participate in
the national development. Development plan adopted to ensure empowerment of women
in independent, sovereign Bangladesh. The NGOs too continued with their various
programs to improve socio-economic lot of in the outreach areas of the country. The
Women's organizations alongside the political parties participated directly and indirectly
in the struggle for establishing democracy in the country. And they became very much
conscious about establishing their socio-economic and political rights that created a grand
prospect in development of women in the country.
Gender policy is a part of police reform
Gender policy is needed to do policy reform inside the police so as to change police
organization into a professional and accountable police service, practicing a style of
policing that is responsive to the needs of police force and fulfill the needs of local
Communities (Groenewald and Peake, 2004). From a broader perspective, police reform is
the transformation of the police system, including all the actors, their roles, actions and
responsibility to manage and operate the system in a manner that is consistent with
democratic Norms and sound principles of good governance (OECD, 2005). Police reform is
a core part of Security Sector Reform (SSR) and it involves the establishment or
Strengthening of an accountable, effective, equitable and rights-respecting police
organization. Police reform is about change, and is a process that moves a police institution
toward being more Accountable for its actions and having greater respect for human rights.
The central focus of Police reform is the need to properly understand and incorporate the
security needs of diverse Population into the structure and operations of the police
(Denham, 2010). The complexities of policing in the modern era, coupled with the
dynamism of social change within societies expose police institutions to various

Annexure A Page 24
challenges that require continual Consideration for improvement. As police organizations
around the world are trying to improve their response to, and protection of individuals and
communities, they become involved in a process of reforming policies and practices. The
demand for reform is instigated by a number of factors such as: internal reviews, public
criticisms, government decisions and international pressures (Denham, 2008).
Why is gender important to police reform?
‘Addressing gender issues is not a process of taking power away from men and giving it to
women and other under-represented groups, but rather a process of improving efficiency
and effectiveness of the reformed organizations’.
Gender refers to the roles and relationships, personality traits, attitudes, behaviors and
values that society ascribes to men and women. “Gender” therefore refers to learned
differences between Men and women. In contrast to gender, ‘sex' refers to the biological
differences between females and males. These biological characteristics (such as
hormones, reproductive organs and genetic differences) are used in classifying into males
and females. They are generally universal, and are not usually amenable to change.
Gender roles vary widely within and across cultures, and can change over time. Gender
refers not simply to women or men but also to the relationship between them. In other
words, men and women are taught certain roles and appropriate behaviours according to
their sex. Gender roles are influenced by many different factors in addition to culture,
such as class, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation and age.
“Gender mainstreaming is the process of assessing the implications for women and men
of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all
levels.”(UN). It is a strategy for making women's as well as men's concerns and
experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of policies and programmes in all spheres so that women and men benefit
equally and inequality is not perpetuated (ECOSOC, 1997).
The integration of gender issues in police reform is now recognized as a key to
operational effectiveness and institutional credibility. For example, increasing the
recruitment of female staff, preventing human (woman) rights violations, and
collaborating with women's organizations in creating an efficient, accountable and
participatory police force, which responds to the specific needs of men, women, girls and
boys.
Mainstreaming gender into police reform also involves identifying/assessing the different
insecurities faced by men, women, girls and boys. The results of the assessment might in
turn highlight the need to include gender initiatives or initiatives that address the particular
security needs of women, men, boys or girls within police security programmes.
Women often bring specific skills and strengths to police work, such as the ability to
diffuse potentially violent situations and employ good communication skills to minimize
the use of force. In certain contexts, female officers are necessary to perform the cordon
and search of women, widen the net of intelligence gathering and assist victims of sexual
exploitation.

Annexure A Page 25
Creating a police service that is gender responsive increases the credibility, trust and
legitimacy of the service in the eyes of the public. A gender responsive police service also
increases operational effectiveness, through access to a broad range of skills, experiences,
education and culture, which maximize the ability to deliver solutions to domestic
problems relating to women and children.
To achieve the above, the project is implementing in line with six main outcomes with
relevant key outputs. Outcome area no 5, Promoting Gender Sensitive Policing, is working
towards "Promoting the rights of women and children to be free of fear through improved
representation at all levels and the provision of equitable and sensitive policing and victim
support services." To achieve this, three key outputs has been identified, these includes:
 Increase participation of women in the Bangladesh Police at all ranks
 Increase gender awareness12
 Improve victim support services
It is widely acknowledged that women are under-represented in law enforcement
organizations in Bangladesh. Increased representation of women in the Bangladesh Police
is critical to sustain reform. For example, the retention and effective deployment of female
police is linked to the sustainability of the crime prevention and community policing
outcomes, as more female investigating officers will likely encourage more women to assist
the police with investigations and prosecutions. All support to this outcome will be
consistent with the Bangladesh Police policies and regulations.
With the introduction of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), more vigorous global
and national attentions are now drawn on gender sensitive policies. The Goal 3 of the
MDGs, which aimed at achieving gender equality and women's empowerment, is not only
of intrinsic value in itself, but also central to the attainment of all the other MDGs.
The above short situation analysis presents a background for contextualizing
gender/women issues within the Bangladesh Police. As the Bangladesh as a state
continues to push for policy reforms in the area of gender equality and women
empowerment, many of these national efforts are yet to be adopted across sectors and
among extra-governmental bodies.
12
Refers to a state ofknowledge of the differences in roles and relations of women and men and how this results in differences in
power relations, status, privileges and needs.

Annexure B Page 26
Annexure - B
BANGLADESH AND THE INTERNATIONAL/
REGIONAL POLICY ENVIRONMENT
Bangladesh started playing an effective role from the early Seventies in the international
arena. Bangladesh actively participated in the first World Women congress in Mexico in
1975. The women movement that was being waged outside the country resulted in
mainstreaming of Bangladesh women Movement. The base of the present level of women
development in Bangladesh was formed with this initiative. The United Nations declared
1975 as “Year of the Women” for empowerment and development of women in affairs of
state, society, politics and economics. 1976-1985 was declared as Decade of Women' in
the first World Women Convention in 1975. The decade aimed at equality, development
and peace. The 2nd Women Convention was convened in Copenhagen in 1980 in which,
the progress made in the first phase of 5 years (1976-1985) was reviewed and three
additional objectives - education, health and employment were identified. The 3rd World
Women Convention was held in Nairobi, Capital of Kenya in 1985 and advanced
strategies were adopted for women development based on equality, development and
peace. As preparatory to 4th World Women Convention in 1994 at Jakarta Declaration and
Work Plan was adopted at the 2nd Asian and Pacific Region ministerial meeting
concerning women development. The Declaration said, there exists sharp gender
inequality in the matter of power distribution and decision making and so, the concerned
governments were urged to take initiative to eliminate this inequality and limitations. The
Commonwealth prepared a gender and development work plan in 1995. The SAARC
countries too have made work plan for women development.
Beijing Declaration and Work Plan were adopted in 4th World Convention of Women in
Beijing on 4-15 September in 1995. 12 particularly important areas in women
development have been identified in Beijing Work Plan. The areas include : increasing
poverty of the women; unequal opportunity in the matter of education and training ,
unequal opportunity in getting health care services; abuse of women; women- victim of
armed violence; limited rights in matter of claims over economic resources; inequality in
decision-making and participation in power, inadequate institutional framework in women
development, violation of human rights of women, negative reflections of women in the
mass media and their inadequate participation; limited rights of women in the preservation
of environment and natural resources and discrimination to female children. Bangladesh is
committed to the implementation of all international declarations and work plans.
Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Woman (CEDAW)
was adopted in the United Nations in December 1979 to eliminate all kinds of
discrimination against women in the state, economy, family and in each area of family and
social life and it came into effect on 3 September 1981. This document identified as the
International Bill of Rights is considered to be a full dress and self-contained standard for
the preservation of rights of women. In 1984, Bangladesh ratified this charter and
protected four sections: [2, 13(a), 16(a) and (f). Later, protections were withdrawn from
13(a) and 16.1 in 1996. Bangladesh submits report to the United Nations every 4 year as
ratifying state to the Charter. The latest 6th and 7th periodic reports were sent to the
United Nations in 2009 and the report of GoB was presented at CEDAW Committee on 25
January 2011.

Annexure B Page 27
Bangladesh has actively participated in almost all the forum in the international arena and
involved her in the global thoughts in the matter of women development by signing
important international charters and documents. Bangladesh expressed her commitment in
the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as it participated in the
Millennium Summit Session held in 2000. And at the same time Bangladesh signed also
the optional protocol on CEDAW. Bangladesh ranked as one of the first 10 countries in
signing the protocol. In addition, Bangladesh has expressed her commitment in
undertaking multilateral steps in areas of women development as a ratifying and signatory
state to various other important regional charters.
From inception, the United Nations Charter recognized gender equality and called for the
rights of individuals to be respected regardless of sex, and whether they come from large
or small nations. This recognition is clearly enshrined in the United Nations Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948 in which member nations affirmed their
commitment to basic standards of human rights. The Declaration also guaranteed basic
human rights for all individuals by prohibiting any form of discrimination on grounds of
race, religion or sex. The principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were to
be enunciated in conventions over the decades as new insights emerged on the global
status of women. In spite of the Declaration and its adoption by governments around the
world, various forms of discrimination still existed particularly against women. Thus, by
1952 it was important to recognize that women deserved political rights to participate in
governance and choosing representatives. This was captured in the Convention on the
Political Rights of Women (1952). The Convention on the Nationality of Married Women
(1957) was adopted to guarantee the rights of women who get married across national
boundaries while the right to make a choice about marriage was ensured in the
Convention on the Consent to Marriage (1962). Further conventions were adopted to
ensure that no discrimination existed between men and women. These include the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1CCPR) and the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

Annexure C Page 28
Annexure - C
BEST PRACTICES OF POLICE REFORM AND
GENDER13 EQUALITY AGENDA
Women's police stations (WPS) and domestic violence units have been established in a
number of countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, India,
Liberia, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay, Sierra Leone, South Africa and United Kingdom.
These stations are staffed primarily by female officers in order to provide an environment
where women may feel more comfortable in reporting and be assured that their reports
will be properly handled. They often combine a number of specialized police officers with
health workers, social workers, and legal and other specialists to form a team that can
respond to cases of GBV, including domestic violence and sexual assault of women and
children.
In Honduras, the UN Population Fund has helped train police officers on gender issues
and in assisting victims of domestic violence. The training focuses on how to process cases
of domestic violence, ensuring officers understand the seriousness of this offence, and in
some cases on the need to provide protection (UNFPA 2005). In Guyana, the Guyana
Police Force had been working with government and non-governmental organizations to
establish a network to reduce gender-based and domestic violence. The results of this
initiative have included training on the Domestic Violence Act as a mandatory component
of the training curriculum at the Guyana Police College; police stations which now have
space for interviewing persons reporting domestic violence; and the Police Commissioner
has pledged to establish a domestic violence unit within the Guyana Police Force to better
implement law enforcement duties in the area.
In Liberia, the first all-female police unit deployed from India gained international
attention, demonstrating the various roles and capabilities of female officers within peace
operations. The Liberian National Police received three times the usual number of female
applicants in the month following their deployment. In response, the UN and the
Government of Liberia have instituted the Education Support Programme for female
potential recruits to the Liberia National Police (LNP). The accelerated programme aims to
bring the educational level of interested women up to the high school graduation level so
that they can qualify for LNP recruitment (Denham 2008).
Against the background of the need to have a new police force that is both gender
sensitive and human rights compliant, the Punjab Police in Pakistan instituted the Human
Rights and Gender Sensitization Policy in 2007. The policy recognizes the special needs
of men and women in certain situations and the need to make appropriate provisions for
these needs. The overall objective of the policy was to empower women in a meaningful
manner by mainstreaming gender issues in police working procedures in a manner
consistent with the country's constitutional framework, legal principles and values.
In Bangladesh, security is not just confined as a developmental issue, but also as a gender
issue. Although existing national legislation does ensure far-reaching gender equality and
13 In this policy document, refers to the social roles allocated respectively to women and men in particular societies and at
particular times.Such roles, andthe differences betweenthem,are conditionedby a variety of political, economic, ideological and
cultural factors and are characterized in most societies by unequal power relations. Gender is distinguished from sex which is
biologically determined.

Annexure C Page 29
protection against discrimination and violence, there is widespread ignorance of the law
and significant resistance to implementation of gender equality in the courts. On the basis
of widespread discrimination against women, GIZ initiated a Gender-responsive
community policing project that was premised on existing good practices in community
mobilization and gender sensitive programming.
The UNDP supported Police Reform Programme (first and second phases) primary focus on
ensuring human rights, equitable access to justice and observance of the rule of law. For
UNDP, justice and human rights are fundamental components of human development, as
they ensure the protection, empowerment and dignity of all citizens and help to ensure
equality of opportunity, a key driver towards the Millennium Development Goals. UNDP
support to institutionalizing human rights and human security reinforces the rights-based
character of policy and public life, making the persistence of human deprivations less
acceptable. Support to a functioning, accessible and transparent criminal justice system,
institutions and services (including legal aid) means that poor people and other
disadvantaged groups have protection, representation and recourse to hold the resource-rich
accountable for commitments services included in the MDGs and their targets. There are
many problems to be addressed in the reform and renewal of the Bangladesh Police
through the PRP.

Annexure D Page 30
Annexure - D
METHODOLOGY ADOPTED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF GENDER POLICY
The formulation of this policy was based on a participatory method almost at every stage of
the process. The methodological approaches adopted for the policy formulation include:
 A Gender Gap Analysis/Situation Analysis ( using the Issue Based Approach)
 Gender as a Methodological Tool for Mainstreaming and for Institutional Change.
 References of previous works undertaken by the PRP, Gender unit and other works
inside and outside of Bangladesh police on issues related to the topics.
Using a variety of qualitative methods, a gender gap analysis was conducted to clearly
understand (and document) gender gaps within the Bangladesh Police, so as to come up
with policy guidelines that would help to reduce (and over time eliminate) these gaps.
A general principle is to treat ‘gender' as a cross-cutting issue in development, thereby
ensuring that gender/ women issues are integrated in a holistic way in policy and planning
processes. Thus, the gender gap analysis adopts an issue based approach which helps to
explore all the substantive issues relating to the content and the context of the policy. The
issues include:
The socio-cultural practices which continue to perpetuate gender inequalities and gender-
based violence in our society;
 Cultural context
 Patriarchy/male dominance
 Unequal power relations
 Harmful traditional practices against women
 Religious factors
 Economic factors;
 Women lack of access to critical resources o Low educational attainment among
women
Legal factors:
 Legal and policy framework addressing VAW/GBV in Bangladesh
 Gender gaps in the existing legislations and laws
 Gaps in the implementation of these laws
 Non-enforcement of the existing laws
 Political factors
 Forms and types of VAW/GBV and impacts on women and children; and Specific gender issues in
the administration ofthe Bangladesh Police andpolicing in general.
The methods used at this level include:
Desk Review of existing documents and instruments; and Qualitative Assessment of gender
issues/GBV in the Bangladesh Police through a number of mechanisms:
 A Broad Based Consultation with stakeholders
 Focus Group Discussions (where appropriate)
 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with selected stakeholders
 Memoranda from relevant stakeholders

Annexure D Page 31
Local, National, and International Instruments in relevant areas were reviewed to identify
gender gaps in existing laws, policies, and practices which further heighten gender
inequalities and may serve to exacerbate the occurrence of GBV within the Bangladeshi
policy and social context, these instruments include:
 The 1972 Bangladesh Constitution
 The Criminal Code
 The Penal Code
 The Police Act/ PRB? Police Order/Force Directives/Force Administrative
Instructions
 Child Rights policy-2011
 Laws relating to VAW/GBV
 The Civil Law on VAW
 National Women Development Policy-2011
 Domestic violence law 2010
 Regional and International Normative Framework on VAW
Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of
Violence against Women (DEVAW). UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish
Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol):
 Rationale for Gender-based Police Reform - Mr. Kumar Koirala, Crime Prevention
and Community Safety Specialist , PRP
 Women In the Police Service, Mr. Razzak Raza , Community Police Expert, PRP
 Gender Sensitive Policing, Ms. Fawzia Khondker & Muminun Nessa , Gender
Specialist and Victim Support Specialist .PRP
 Gender equality in public administration, a study by Ms. Mahin Sultana
 FGD with Bangladesh police in Dhaka, Madaripur, Chittagong
 Workshop with Bangladesh Police in Dhaka, Chittagong.
 FGD with Bangladesh police women network in Dhaka
 Different interviews with police high officials.
As a methodological tool, gender framework relies on the following:
 Gender mainstreaming tools; and
 Gender machinery institutions for policy formulation, implementation, and
monitoring of interventions.
This process helped to challenge and review the Bangladesh Police as an institution
capable of responding to gender retooling. To make the Police ‘gender responsive', the
framework for its engendering is clearly identified and stated.

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