UNDP Somalia - Human rights a focus of Somali police training

Human rights a focus of Somali police training

Nairobi - 28 September 2007. Almost 600 police recruits graduated this week from a UNDP-supported training programme aimed at establishing a professional civilian police force which can contribute to the restoration of peace and gain the trust of the community.

The training is part of UNDP Somalia’s wider support for the police, which aims to strengthen the rule of law and security in the troubled Horn of Africa country. There are plans to extend training throughout the force in the future to ensure human rights values are embedded at all levels in police operations. Other elements of law enforcement supported by UNDP include the development of oversight mechanisms for the police through the establishment of multi stakeholder Police Advisory Committees.

The graduation ceremony was attended by representatives from the Transitional Federal Government and State Authorities from Puntland in Somalia’s north-east, where the Armo Police Training Academy is located. Speaking at the graduation ceremony UNDP Country Director Bruno Lemarquis congratulated the graduates and their trainers and stressed the need to recognize that the police are responsible and accountable to the people of Somalia.

‘The training you have all successfully completed emphasized human rights principles as a core component of policing. We expect all new graduates to strive every day to uphold the principles of human rights.’

Contributing directly to the first Millennium Development Goal (MDG) - to eradicate extreme poverty - through the creation of sustainable employment in the police force, the training also helps create an environment of law and order conducive to the achievement of the remaining MDGs. The recruits were selected through an inclusive process with balanced regional representation. Graduates from South Central regions will be deployed with the Somalia Police Force, while those from Puntland will be deployed with the Puntland Police Force.
Fifty women officers were among the graduates. This is the second group of police recruits to graduate from Armo Academy, which has also conducted training for the Puntland Special Protection Unit and for police trainers.

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