Photo Montage by MCC(SS) David Gordon

Calm, quiet and poised, Col. Shafiqa Quarashi doesn’t give the impression of a passionate defender of women’s rights, that is, until she speaks. With her voice ringing with conviction, Shafiqa boldly tells an audience full of females that they will never get their rights by sitting at home; they have to go out and get them, to demand them.

“No one will give your rights to you as a gift, you have to take them. Who is saying women can’t do anything. We can do everything, anything you want,” she said. “We have to fight against corruption and those who are against women working.” It is with speeches like this, given at the Ministry of Interior’s International Women’s Day recognition ceremony March 4, that it’s easy to see why Shafiqa, an Afghan National Police officer, was selected as a 2010 International Woman of Courage.

The award, presented by U.S. Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, will be presented to 10 women from around the world March 10 at the State Department; 75 women were nominated from more than 70 countries including Zimbabwe, Iran, Republic of Korea, Kenya, Syria, Dominican Republic and Sri Lanka.

The annual International Women of Courage Award was started in March 2007 to recognize women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and advancement. This is the only award within the Department of State that pays tribute to outstanding women leaders worldwide. It recognizes the courage and leadership shown as they struggle for social justice and human rights.

Shafiqa was nominated for her work in raising awareness of women and children’s rights and for her efforts toward increasing the numbers of females serving in the police forces.

Serving in the ANP for almost 28 years, most recently as the Chief of Gender and Human Rights Division, Shafiqa has worked to make the ANP a safer place for women to work and serve. Her goal of increasing women’s rights is now more important than ever; Afghan President Hamid Karzai recently announced that an additional 5,000 women need to be added to the police force over the next five years. In a culture that restricts female and male interaction, women police are needed for specific tasks such as searching and questioning female suspects. With the police force having a reputation as a dangerous place for women to serve and rife with corruption, families are often reluctant to allow their daughters, wives, sisters or mothers to join, something that Shafiqa is well aware of.

Under her guidance, the MOI now offers female police choice over assignment location, limited to no nighttime shifts, and female basic trainees are allowed to return to their homes at night. Shafiqa also travels frequently to remote provinces, where policewomen are more isolated and have less support structures, to listen to the challenges they face and to resolve concerns. During the MOI women’s day ceremony, Shafiqa officially opened the new Gender Complaint Registration Office, which will allow women an avenue for reporting discrimination, security problems and official complaints.

“Life is stressful and difficult for women in Afghanistan; there is nothing in our constitution about women or women’s rights and we have cultural problems. Women cannot get their rights easily, so that will take time,” Shafiqa said. “When it comes to women in the police, it’s usually a man’s job, so we have to work twice as hard to prove ourselves. Today symbolizes what Afghan women have been able to accomplish so far.”

When she joined the police academy more than a quarter of a century ago, Shafiqa’s family, who she describes as educated and open-minded, encouraged and supported her decision. This support is a rarity among her culture that she acknowledges. “Many families are not ready to send their daughters to work in local department so how they will let them to join the military? Women cannot get their rights easily so that will take some time. We need brave women to defend other women.”

With just under 1,000 women working for the MOI and half that working in the Afghan National Army and Ministry of Defense, Shafiqa says it’s essential for women to take a larger role in shaping their nation.

“Women should be involved in all aspects of the government, and it’s important too that women should take a part in security in the country,” she said. Shafiqa, who herself is about to be promoted to general, has reached a level of leadership not often seen among Afghan women. She hopes that her achievement, while remarkable, will be commonplace one day. “I want to see women in high positions in police and I hope one day I will see the women coming in now in high-level positions, as leaders, in command of large units.”

By Staff Sgt. Sarah Brown
NTM – A