A prominent advocate for women's issues in Papua New Guinea Maria Kopkop has joined call by human rights groups, to get more women into the police force.
Amnesty International, and the Human Rights Watch group have urged the police minister Bire Kimisopa to increase the number of female police officers from the current six percent.
Ms Kopkop, a former of President of the National Council of Women, says women can better understand issues such as domestic violence.
But say says the push for the change has to come from women.
"Ministers who represent us they have the power yknow to discuss further with women's movement to see how we can all stand together to put together a proposal to involve more women in the police force here in Papua New Guinea."
A women's advocate in PNG, Maria Kopkop, who says a recruitment drive targeting female high school students is also needed.
