Women Police Officers Hone Internet Skills 

When the John F. Kennedy Information Resource Center (IRC) staff in Malawi pondered ways to commemorate Women History Month, a novel idea came to mind - internet training for female police officers.  These women already possessed a formidable range of skills – traffic control, handling emergencies, interrogation, criminal investigation, and crowd-control, among others – but internet research capability was foreign territory.

Twenty-three senior officers from the Central Region Police Headquarters turned up for a mid-afternoon session that introduced them to the internet, search engines, directories, and research strategies through a power point presentation and hands-on application.

All the participants established for the first time e-mail accounts and registered for IRC membership.  IRC staff also introduced them to information available on CD ROMs, books and periodicals.  “This was an afternoon well-spent … the Internet is such a wonderful thing, you can find any information you need in a matter of seconds,” said one policewoman.

Women’s History Month is commemorated every March to recognize the achievements and accomplishments of women that have positively influenced their communities but are often overlooked by society.

The U.S. Embassy also held programs for educational institutions during the month. Over 1200 girls from four secondary schools and a university participated in a discussion titled “Making a Difference”, aimed at mentoring and encouraging the girls realize their full potential.