Durban – Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has paid special tribute to women police officers throughout the world for their “resilience, courage and determination” in the face of transformation and gender bias.
Mthethwa said despite, “all odds, [women officers] continue to thrive”.
He was addressing the 51st International Association of Women Police (IAWP) held in Durban City Hall on Sunday. It is the first time since the association’s formation in 1915 that its conference is being held on the African continent.
He said he was pleased that one of the conference fundamental objectives is to “equip members for success providing the highest quality of education, leadership, information exchange, and recognition of excellence for the workforce challenges of tomorrow”.
However, he admitted that a fight against crime was an uphill battle. “Sadly, criminals have equally diversified and improved their tactics. What this calls for is a multipronged approach and in fact, governments need to be ahead, whether technologically or operationally in terms of fighting this scourge,” he said.
He said it has become apparent to government that police alone cannot win the fight against crime. “Criminals do not live in isolation from communities. Therefore we needed to deepen our partnership with communities. That is why we took a decision of fighting crime and fighting it toughly and smartly,” he said.
The Minister said he recognised the need to strengthen cooperation with international law enforcement agencies.
“We therefore recognize information sharing and through cooperation, we can and shall continue to crumble and deal a blow to these crime syndicates,” he said.
He said women police officers had a special and unique contribution to make in crime fighting especially as, “champions for campaigns, for instance, on social crime-prevention programs aimed at reducing contact crimes”.
“Our country has, over the years produced exceptional women who have made a valuable contribution to changing and improving their socio-economic situations. Such women come from all walks of life,” he said.
The important struggle we are now waging, the Minister said, “is to end violence against women, [this] is a critical part of the historic effort to change the power relations in our society”.
He challenged IAWP to play a meaningful contribution in this regard.
He further called upon women officers to ensure that the conference does not degenerate into another “pep-talk platform.”
“You should be seen as a force to be reckoned with in the fight against crime,” he emphasised.
“We should guard against IAWP becoming a separate and parallel framework in the fight against crime, a framework that seeks to alienate other role-players.
“The important struggle we must continue to wage, which is to end violence against women, is a critical part of the historic effort to change the power relations in our society,” he added.
Mthethwa continued that, “this world’s safety will be achieved through a collective, coordinated approach and engagement”.
He said all member states of IAWP represented at this historic gathering have a responsibility of ensuring that, “the decisions that are adopted, indeed contribute to world peace and stability”. – Bhekisisa Mncube, SAnews.gov.za
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