Contrary to modern thinking, society had linked femininity with beauty, softness, caregiving and affection for centuries. To that end, the misnomer, at times by women themselves, seems to have exacerbated abuse and unfair treatment in the social strata. Prior to the women rights movements of the 19 th century in the developed world, fair treatment in most aspects of life was unthinkable; it was even more so on the employment arena. Fast forward to the 21st century, although many still argue that ‘there is a lot to be done’, the above rhetoric appears to have run out its due course. At present, there is almost no profession that does not see women sided by side with men; and some jobs that had remained exclusive to men are not so these days.
On such a heavy-duty profession that remained under the dominance of men was the job of a traffic police officer. The position is supposed to involve an unbearable task that requires regulating traffic flow throughout the day by withstanding the blistering heat and the pouring rain, not to mention the highly frequent confrontations with drivers and pedestrian commuters. In Ethiopia, although no official record suggests a systematic gender bias, women officers were scare on the streets.
However, women of Addis have conquered another male-dominated job frontier that is being part of the traffic police force. Defying any residual gender misconception in the society, lately, scores of women are taking control of the streets in the capital. Nevertheless, with a question about the capability of female officers looming, the road ahead does not seem to be an easy one for the troopers. With a high incidence of road accidents in the country, the occupation is one that requires swift action and decision-making, commentators say. Hence, some drivers with their centuries-old and unreformed attitudes have a hard time obeying women officers. To this effect, particularly, some young taxi drivers and their assistants enter into confrontation with female officers. On the other hand, there are a few the passengers who feel that female officers are very harsh at time and say that they (female officers) seem to have lost the whole point of the law, which is to instruct, not to punish.
However, others argue that society is rather embracing the newest members of law enforcement. According to observers, passengers who customarily take the side of the taxi operators and beg officers not to write tickets are now on the side of the female officers. It shows that the women troopers are gaining acceptance among society, they explain. Mekonnen Haile-Mariam, a frequent taxi user, belongs to this group. He says that he has no doubt about the efficiency of women officers and even feels that they have been doing a better job than their men counterparts. Mekonnen, however, says that sometimes consideration ought to be made for some minor forgivable misdemeanors such as ‘not noticing a traffic sign’ as some of these signs were not placed in a way one can easily detect in the first place. Foreigners, for instance, could commit genuine errors, which can be passed by a mere advice and warning, he told The Reporter.
Aynalem Mamo, a traffic police officer, says that it is not a matter of showing sympathy and cruelty but enforcing the rules and the regulations. “We do not have a problem with many drivers but the tax drivers are the ones who found themselves in trouble frequently; it is as if they prefer to do things illegally,” she says. Although the majority of the road accidents occur due to speed, carrying excess load would also jeopardize safety of the vehicle, Aynalem argues. Since the is the primary means of mass transportation in urban areas, we have responsibility to protect the passengers and how can we be expected go soft, she asks. “However, I do not think the case is different for the men officers as well.”
She singles out some taxi drivers for having no regard for the law. Furthermore, she remembers an incident where her colleague pulled over a taxi for breaking the passenger limit set for minibuses. When asked to hand over his driver’s license, he looked more irritated by the mere fact that the officer was a woman, says Aynalem. To make matters worse, in a complete disregard for the uniform, he moved to retrieving his license forcefully and tore down the ticket issued by the female officer, she narrates. “Still there are people who need to get rid of their wrong perceptions.”
Ashenafi Taddele, a taxi driver, however, says that that he rather admires the women traffic-police officers better that men due to their consistency in implementing the law. “Some officers are more prone to indulge in unnecessary compromises than female members of the force. I found women officers stricter and direct in this regard,” he told The Reporter. In addition, he says they are doing a good job in fighting lawbreakers. The chief serageant of the Addis Ababa Police Commission, Asefa Mezigebu, on his part says that women officers are an interesting addition to the traffic police force of the city. They are determined and disciplined, he explains, not only in ordering the trafficking flow but also in terms of safeguarding the peace and security of the city. “I would like to praise their dedication and performance; and they deserve to wear the uniform.’’ says Asefa. “People should recognize their work, give them the credit and show them respect.” he concludes.
