By Rosita MacDonald

Rosita MacDonald is a Program Officer in the The Asia Foundation’s Women’s Empowerment Program. She can be reached at rmacdonald@asiafound-dc.org.

Some may be surprised to discover that Pacific Island nations are leading the way in the international movement to recruit more female police officers in hopes of redressing  violence against women, improving women’s access to justice, and enhancing general safety and security for the entire population.

According to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2007 study of Law Enforcement Employees in the United States, women represent just 11.4 percent of the police force in America. At the same time, 35 percent of Fiji’s police force are women, according to the International Labour Organization. Other Pacific Island nations are also recruiting greater numbers of women into their forces. Lautoa Faletau, Assistant Police Commander of the Tonga Police Force, reported that women comprise 14 percent of the Solomon Islands force, 15 percent of Samoa’s force, and over 20 percent of the force in Tonga.
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