Female Supremacy Articles - Page 24 "Women's town" to put men in their place

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"These girls are experienced and have been trained. They have worked in areas of India where there was insurgency. They will do a good job and the Liberian ladies will get motivated and inspired to come forward and join the regular police."

The UN mission in Liberia, which will cost around $750m this year, is helping rebuild the country's police force from scratch.

During the 14-year war, the police were involved in the fighting and were steeped in corruption. Having acquired a terrible reputation it is now hard to persuade women to consider the police as a career.

The aim is for 20% of the force to be women. But reaching 6% is currently a struggle, partly because of the police's image but also because of the low educational standards of many women.

The UN is now running a special educational programme for women wanting to join the force.

On the streets of Monrovia the arrival of the Indian women is popular. Patience Coleman has a job with an anti-poverty NGO and is not tempted to join the police but hopes the Indian women will encourage some Liberian women to consider it.

"It is important for us women to stand up and say we can do it. Women are more caring than men. They have a natural gift so you will get a more caring police force."

Sexual exploitation

Liberia has an alarming incidence of rape which goes unpunished. The deployment of more female police officers could encourage the women and young girls to report the crime.