The New Indian Express: Bhubaneswar: Sunday, 26 March
2023.
It examined working conditions of women police personnel in the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar by interviewing them and filing RTI applications.
Women in Odisha Police have little access to the basic amenities and facilities like clean toilets and transportation during odd working hours but when it comes to gender equality in the police administration and securing the women personnel from sexual harassment, the state has been doing well.
This has been revealed in a study ‘Challenges of Women Police Personnel’, which was released by a city-based nonprofit Centre for Sustainable Use of Natural and Social Resources on Saturday. It examined working conditions of women police personnel in the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar by interviewing them and filing RTI applications.
Conducted by researcher Dr Susmita Parija with help from the department of PM&IR, Utkal University, the survey covered 75 women police personnel across all ranks in Odisha in the age group of 21 to 60. Most of the respondents are in permanent mode of employment.
While 46 respondents said they do not have access to clean toilets in police stations, 71 complained of no provision of rest room. To RTI query on toilets, the police department informed that 318 police stations in the state had toilets but these were common toilets for both men and women. None of the police stations have separate toilet facilities for women personnel, making them prone to UTI and vaginal infections.
Besides, 57 women police personnel spoke about difficulties they face while returning home due to lack of transportation facilities during odd hours of work.Compared to the other states, the remuneration and promotion opportunity for the women personnel across all ranks in Odisha is good, the survey found. It further revealed that working hours are relatively more predictable and conducive for police women in Odisha than in the other states.
However, being in the police department meant sacrificing newborn care for the women personnel. Although the Maternity Act,1961, mandates at least two nursing breaks, the police women in their postnatal period could not avail of it. Nature of the job and less manpower in police stations prevented the women from seeking permission from their higher authorities for nursing breaks and even for the authority to grant them such breaks if requested, which is their right.
In Odisha, 55 respondents depended on formula milk powder to feed their newborn, only eight could avail nursing breaks and a negligible one resorted to pumping and storing the breast milk to tend to their newborns. Moreover, only four police stations established between 2017 and 2021 had creche facilities.
OTHER FINDINGS
It examined working conditions of women police personnel in the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar by interviewing them and filing RTI applications.
Women in Odisha Police have little access to the basic amenities and facilities like clean toilets and transportation during odd working hours but when it comes to gender equality in the police administration and securing the women personnel from sexual harassment, the state has been doing well.
This has been revealed in a study ‘Challenges of Women Police Personnel’, which was released by a city-based nonprofit Centre for Sustainable Use of Natural and Social Resources on Saturday. It examined working conditions of women police personnel in the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar by interviewing them and filing RTI applications.
Conducted by researcher Dr Susmita Parija with help from the department of PM&IR, Utkal University, the survey covered 75 women police personnel across all ranks in Odisha in the age group of 21 to 60. Most of the respondents are in permanent mode of employment.
While 46 respondents said they do not have access to clean toilets in police stations, 71 complained of no provision of rest room. To RTI query on toilets, the police department informed that 318 police stations in the state had toilets but these were common toilets for both men and women. None of the police stations have separate toilet facilities for women personnel, making them prone to UTI and vaginal infections.
Besides, 57 women police personnel spoke about difficulties they face while returning home due to lack of transportation facilities during odd hours of work.Compared to the other states, the remuneration and promotion opportunity for the women personnel across all ranks in Odisha is good, the survey found. It further revealed that working hours are relatively more predictable and conducive for police women in Odisha than in the other states.
However, being in the police department meant sacrificing newborn care for the women personnel. Although the Maternity Act,1961, mandates at least two nursing breaks, the police women in their postnatal period could not avail of it. Nature of the job and less manpower in police stations prevented the women from seeking permission from their higher authorities for nursing breaks and even for the authority to grant them such breaks if requested, which is their right.
In Odisha, 55 respondents depended on formula milk powder to feed their newborn, only eight could avail nursing breaks and a negligible one resorted to pumping and storing the breast milk to tend to their newborns. Moreover, only four police stations established between 2017 and 2021 had creche facilities.
OTHER FINDINGS
- Of 75 respondents, only one had faced sexual harassment in Odisha
- 66 pc of the personnel interviewed were aware of legal procedures to take in case of sexual harassment
- 70 pc of the respondents in Odisha were treated equally as their male colleagues
- But 62 pc of them said male colleagues possess a patriarchal attitude towards them
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