Women field police squad in Burj Hamud

Despite the general marginalization of women in the public and political spheres, the municipality of Burj Hammood, located in Metn caza, in an unprecedented move by its newly elected mayor, Mardig Boghossian, has integrated some 30 women into its municipal police force to join the 130-man municipal squad. This step, said retired Sergeant Major, Fadi Muawad, chief of Burj Hamud’s police and guards department, aims to engage women, not only in administration but also on the ground. His previous work in the general security, Muawad explained, brought him closer to his women colleagues and he wanted to repeat the positive experience. Women integrated in the municipal police have proved to be qualified and apt for the job, Muawad maintained, noting that their presence on the streets diffused the tension between the municipal police and local residents. He said that it was not easy at the beginning with the narrow and congested streets of Burj Hamud. To get a clearer picture, The Daily Star newspaper spoke to a number of municipal police women. Talar Kiomijian, 24-year old (holder of a degree in accounting), and the first to join the police, said it was tough for her when she was first deployed on the streets. People who were not used to seeing police women picked on her. But Talar’s colleagues boasted that they have gone beyond the rough period and that people are now accustomed to their field presence.  (The Daily Star, December 21, 201