Women Join Iraqi Kurdistan Police
11.6.2006 | |
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ERBIL , Kurdistan-Iraq, June
11, — Women's rights might not be the first thing one thinks of when
someone mentions Iraq , however, some officials in the Kurdish
provinces in Kurdistan (northern Iraq) would like it to be.
According to Erbil Minister of Interior Karim Sinjari, equality is
very important for the residents of the Kurdish provinces.
“We are working very hard to be progressive and set the standard for
human rights in Iraq ,” he said.
According to Sinjari, changing the country's view of women is an
important step to separate themselves from the old way of thinking.
Although women throughout Iraq have been given the right to vote and
are accepted in the army and police academies, the city of Erbil was
the first city to allow women to hold positions of power.
Iraqi Kurdistan Police Lt. Narseed, is one of the first female
officers in the city.
She wanted to be a police officer at a very young age but thought
that the career field would not be open within her lifetime. |
Photo:thesop |
That all changed when the Coalition removed Saddam from power. She
said she had already graduated college and was becoming a lawyer
when she made the decision to become a police officer. “When I heard
that the doors had opened for women to become officers, I jumped at
the chance and then went to the police academy.”
She said that she has no issue with men following orders or
accepting her as an authoritative figure. “Here, there is no
difference between male officers and female officers. If I tell the
men to do something, they do it. There is no hesitation on their
part.”
She said that her years of law school have helped her tremendously.
“Being a lawyer has helped me with the investigative side of police
work.
I know what a judge or an attorney is going to be looking for. This
gives me a slight edge over some of the others on the force,”
Narseed said.
Iraqi Police Lt. Col. Aswar, the Khabat station commander, said he
is happy to have Narseed on the force.
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