New Zealand Police now introduces hijab to its official uniform for the first time in history. This move has been taken by the officials, to encourage more Muslim women to join the force. Well, they have not just added it as a part of the uniform, but have made sure that the fit is perfect. The custom made navy head covering will be available to female Muslim recruits, with Constable Zeena Ali- the first officer to wear the attire.
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This Move Will Encourage More Muslim Women To Join The Force
Speaking more the attire, the Zeena who was the first one to adorn it was invited to be a part of the process to ensure that it was user-friendly. Speaking about this to a leading daily, Zeena said,
“Having a police-branded hijab means women who may not have previously considered policing can do so now.”
Speaking about this new development and the initiative, she thinks it’s a great move as to how the police have incorporated my religion and culture to encourage women.
Zeena joined the forces after the Christchurch terror attach, which an armed man stormed two mosques in the South Island city and killed 51 worshippers. On this, she added,
“It was when I was just training to get into police that the Christchurch terror attack happened, and if I was a fully-fledged constable then I would have gone down to support the victims and their families.”
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New Zealand Police In 2008 Also Introduced Turban For Male Officers
Well, the New Zealand police are also proud about this initiative, the police service in an interview with the New Zealand Herald said,
“We recognise the value different perspectives and experiences bring to making us better at what we do. We need people with a range of skills, backgrounds and experience levels –diversity is essential so that we can effectively serve the needs of New Zealand’s communities now and in the future.”
According to the New Zealand Police, Ali’s wing, which graduated this month with 76 new officers, is made up of 51.3 per cent women, with 48.7 per cent coming from a non-European background. This is not the first time that the police force has introduced something like this, back in 2008, it also introduced a turban into the uniform for male officers.
First Published: November 20, 2020 12:09 PM