Opening a UN Police-organized women's police conference, Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement for Western Bahr El Ghazal Isaac Elias Ibrahim told participants they should play a huge security role in the forthcoming census. "We ... need to come together and protect the census operation and provide the utmost security support."

The conference, attended by more than 200 women officers from the state, focused on maximizing women's participation in all aspects of policing. According to participants themselves, many women officers had poor academic backgrounds and were looked down on by men in the service, who failed to treat them as colleagues.

Women police also suffered from time and other restrictions placed on them by husbands in performing their duties, were disturbed by their children at work, and discriminated against in obtaining promotions and further training.

UN Police Chief of Staff Alita Mbawe noted that UNMIS had recently launched a capacity building programme for the Southern Sudan Police Service (SSPS), and had also trained 60 SSPS officers in gender and child protection. In addition, the mission had opened gender desks in Juba and Yei to help reduce crimes against women.

Ms Mbawe said UN Police had recently agreed with Khartoum's Police Director General to share the experience of its officers in women policing. "We are working our details to involve more women in policing activities and enhance their professional capabilities through training," she said.

UNMIS agreed at the conference to set up weekend English classes for local police in April, while UNICEF promised to establish centres to care for women police officers' children during duty hours. UN Police assured participants that their concerns would be brought to the attention of SSPP senior management and other stakeholders.