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Promoting women in law enforcement: Ambrin’s story

Promoting women in law enforcement: Ambrin's story
Ambrin Kanwal

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and speak about some of the personal challenges you have overcome?  My name is Ambrin Kanwal, and I have worked for the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Pakistan since 2015. I have 7 sisters and 4 brothers, and my father is a retired army officer. I belong to a very conservative and value-orientated family, but my father educated all of us. He gave us a higher education. I, for example, did an MSc in Banking and Finance. I mean, it wasn't easy. At first, there was “thunder” when I said that I wanted to go to college and university for higher education. But I persisted.

I didn't really know what I wanted to do or be when I was younger. However, I always faced challenges head-on. I was good at debating and got involved in women's empowerment from early on. I knew I wanted to do something that would allow me to serve the people of Pakistan.

After I finished my education, my father decided that I had to get married. But I pushed back and said: “You educated me, so please let me work.” My village is very conservative, and so even if women are given an education, they don't expect you to go to work. They may consider it if you become a teacher or doctor, but they certainly didn't want to see a woman in .

It took a lot of convincing for my father to let me join a law enforcement agency, which certainly caused waves back home. It was a difficult period, especially between my father and me, but now he has become my strength.

I'm proud to be a sort of trailblazer in our village. I'm a role model for the whole of my village. Now, all the girls in my village have an inspiration. By becoming an FIA Investigation officer, I set an example by doing what I did. The girls in the village now say, “She belongs to our vision.” When I go back to my village, I see a change; more girls work in different sectors and more want to join law enforcement. So, it feels like an honour, and I feel like I have set an example for them. It makes me very happy.

In 2015 I got married to my husband, who is very supportive of me personally and professionally. We were blessed with a beautiful baby boy, but he tragically passed away following our marriage. I mention it only to show that I had to, and still must, overcome many personal challenges to realise my dreams. I believe that we all have the right to self-fulfilment, no matter our circumstances. I think that every challenge has a solution and that we must focus on our own roadmap to achieve our goals.

Who has inspired you to do the work you do?

I'm an avid reader, so books have been a source of inspiration. I read a lot about women who were leaders in Islamic history and European history. So, there are a lot of women that inspire me. Still, when looking at Pakistan, I think of Benazir Bhutto. She was a daughter, wife, mother, and our first female president, educated in the West and a real inspiration to me.

What are some of the professional challenges you must deal with in your work?

When I joined the FIA in 2015, it was a very male-dominated environment. The women who worked there mainly performed administrative duties or worked in . But I wanted to be involved, become an investigation officer, join raids, and deal with victims of crimes.

The ratio of female investigation officers is still very low. When I was posted to work in the anti-human trafficking unit in 2019 and tasked with case management, many colleagues didn't think I could fulfil my role. They thought because I had worked in immigration before, I wouldn't be up to the task of an investigation officer. I received mixed reactions from colleagues, and some thought that I wouldn't be able to do it. But I worked so hard that it felt like I worked day and night, conducted many case verifications, and met my targets. Now, when cases involve female victims, I'm often tasked with dealing with the matter. I always investigate on merit, apply a victim-friendly and rights-based approach.

I think what helps women manage their professional challenges is that we become excellent managers by looking after our parents, being a wife, and being a mother. Women are born managers, and those skills can be applied at work too.

The reaction to the success of female investigation officers is mixed. It's still a male-dominated environment, even though almost half of Pakistan's population is female. It's a shame that it seems to still be the case that we are expected to prove ourselves and perform double the amount of work as a woman.

What are your main takeaways from the UNODC training, coaching and mentoring you engaged in? Has your engagement with UNODC helped you develop skills that you apply in your daily work?

When I first worked in Lahore for the FIA, I couldn't differentiate between human trafficking and migrant smuggling cases. By attending the kind of sessions UNODC provides, I'm now able to do so, allowing me to conduct over 700 verifications. It means I know which law applies to what case and ensures I don't use the wrong Act for a crime.

The other main takeaway was focusing on a victim-centred approach and interview skills training. As investigation officers, we are often one of the first persons to come in contact with a victim. We are on the frontline and understanding how to deal with a victim or even the accused while upholding the highest standards has been very useful in my daily work.

Our system was a bit old fashioned in terms of the approach. It didn't necessarily consider the psychological or physical abuse a victim may have suffered and how that may impact their ability to respond in an interview. The training and coaching helped with that.

Lastly, the focus on communication and formal/informal cooperation was beneficial. Through the coaching sessions, I learnt a lot about initiating informal cooperation through Embassies or how to communicate with on cases if needed. It helped me change from applying a reactive approach to a more proactive approach as an investigation officer tasked with combating these two crimes.

Looking ahead, it would be great to focus even more on what proactive steps investigations officers can take to tackle human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Despite having solid laws in place, our conviction rates are still very low, which I would like to change.

You recently participated in the GLO.ACT Women's Network AGM? How was that experience? What inspired you the most? How could the Network support you further?

The AGM was a very prestigious platform for us to meet. An opportunity for countries from the East and West to come together. Before this, I never had the chance to meet colleagues from Afghanistan, the I.R. Iran and Iraq. By attending, I gained a better understanding of everyone's context, how they investigate cases and the challenges they face and possible solutions. It was good to hear about how Iraqi colleagues engaged with female victims and why having female officers can be beneficial. It seemed similar to Pakistan.

What advice do you have for women seeking a career in the law enforcement sector in Pakistan?

I would say: “It doesn't matter where you come from, which village or city”. I'd say that “Initially, I also wasn't the type of girl to become a trailblazer, but I grew and developed myself”. I would explain that there will be challenges in whatever field you have chosen, but you have been gifted this life; make something out of it.

The Global Action against and the Smuggling of Migrants – Asia and the Middle East (GLO.ACT-Asia and the Middle East) is a four-year (2018-2022), €12 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the (UNODC) being implemented in partnership with the in up to five countries: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (Afghanistan), Islamic Republic of Iran (I.R. of Iran), Republic of Iraq (Iraq), Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Pakistan). GLO.ACT-Bangladesh is a parallel initiative also financed by the EU and implemented with IOM.

The project builds on a global community of practice set in motion in GLO.ACT 2015-2019 and assists governmental authorities and civil society organizations in targeted, innovative, and demand-driven interventions: sustaining effective strategy and policy development, legislative review and harmonization, capability development, and regional and trans-regional cooperation. The project also provides direct assistance to victims of human trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and protection mechanisms. The project is fully committed to mainstreaming Human Rights and Gender Equality considerations across all of its activities.

The project is funded by the European Union
For more information, please contact:
Shahida Gillani, National Project Officer
Email: [email protected]
For more information, please visit:
GLO.ACT – Asia and Middle East
Email: [email protected]
Twitter:  @glo_act
Nation-wide -raising campaign in Pakistan, please like and share:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNODCCOPAK.GloAct/
Twitter: @GLOACTPakistan

 
 

EYES ON TRAFFICKING

This “Eyes on Trafficking” story is reprinted from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

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