By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: The U.S. Embassy’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) Pakistan and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) inaugurated ANF’s first women’s hostel facility in the Regional Directorate (North), here on Tuesday.
The hostel was built by UNDP with generous funding from the U.S. Embassy under the ‘Infrastructure for the Enhancement of Gender Equality and Rule of Law in Pakistan’ project, the hostel is a step towards making ANF more gender-responsive and encouraging more women to join ANF, said a UNDP press release.
The USD 1.14 million project was initiated in September 2020, as part of a broader U.S. Embassy effort to promote gender-inclusive infrastructure in law enforcement services. The four-story women’s hostel can accommodate more than 45 women personnel and includes a child daycare facility.
Meanwhile, UNDP with U.S. Embassy’s funding is already working on the extension of the living and training capacity of ANF Academy Islamabad.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by Major General Muhammad Aneeq ur Rehman Malik, HI (M), Director General (DG), ANF, Emmett Sapp, Program Officer, U.S. Embassy’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and Knut Ostby, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan.
On this occasion, Major General Muhammad Aneeq ur Rehman Malik, HI(M), DG ANF, thanked the U.S. Embassy and UNDP for their support. Underlining the significance of gender-responsive infrastructure and policies, he shared, “We are committed to strengthening the representation of women in ANF to more effectively curb drug trafficking. For this, we are creating equal opportunities for ANF women officers to grow in their careers.”
Emmett Sapp, Program Officer, U.S. Embassy’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, acknowledged UNDP and ANF’s tireless efforts to achieve this important milestone.
She emphasized, “We firmly believe that ANF can make the world safer from drugs, and related crimes with equal representation of women. Studies have shown that diverse workforces lead to more effective and inclusive decision-making, and diversity is especially critical for establishing and maintaining public trust in law enforcement.”
UNDP Pakistan’s Resident Representative, Knut Ostby, took this opportunity to thank the U.S. Embassy for their commitment to promote gender equality in law enforcement services.
He also appreciated ANF for their forthcoming participation in the project. “We want to increase the representation of women in law enforcement so that more women feel comfortable approaching the formal justice system. I hope that adding a women’s hostel will encourage more women to join ANF and increase their representation, which is crucial for stronger law enforcement.”
