If there is any institution that deserves to be credited for living by its word of addressing gender imbalance, then that credit should go to none other than the Uganda Police Force- UPF. Barely five years ago, UPF adopted a policy to address the gender imbalance in terms of numbers and other issues like command and promotion.
At the time of approving the gender policy, UPF had about 7,700 female police officers but the last two intakes have seen more women recruited into the force thus raising the numbers to 10,105. This shows that police have been ensuring that at least 30 percent of every intake is reserved for women.
The figures elaborate the force’s efforts towards achieving 30 percent of its total personnel being females. As it stands, 10,105 means police have moved from 18 percent of females the force had in 2018 before the gender policy was adopted to now slightly over 20 percent.
Out of the 5,000 vacancies announced in 2019, at least 1,500 of the recruits were females. The same was done in the 2021 recruitment and thus leading to the exponential increase of women officers in just two intakes.
Not only increasing numbers of women officers is where police are achieving; but also, in the promotions and giving assignments to females. As you read this, police have nearly 20 District Police Commanders -DPCs who are females.
Two years ago, the Inspector General of Police- Martin Ochola, promoted more than 3,000 lower-rank police officers. At least 500 women officers were elevated from one rank to another. Many female officers were promoted to the rank of Inspector of Police, Assistant Inspector of Police, Sergeant, and Corporal.
Some of the above factors were part of the reasons why more than 100 female police officers were quitting the force every year. In addition, every police division or barracks has a clinic that attends to the health issues of all police officers but women are prioritized. Previously, health issues were also contributing to the unpleasant life of serving in UPF but those challenges are gradually being tackled.
Two months ago, internal affairs minister Kahinda Otafiire, commissioned the police housing units at police headquarters. Out of the 360 houses, more than 50 units were allocated to female police officers. These and many more that could not be mentioned in this article are the signs of commitment in address gender imbalance.
Special content for female police officers’ celebration: Happy Women’s Day