Joint Programme 1: Peace building through Justice and Human Rights

1. Human Rights, GBV and Child Protection included into the training curriculum of Ugandan Police Force Joint Programme 1: Peace building through Justice and Human Rights

2. Outcome 1 and related outputs

3. Background information • People perceive police forces as corrupted, coercive, creating conflicts and not as a force that should respect and protect them. • Police is the first point of contact between people and justice, law and order institutions and therefore it is important to ensure that the police forces are well equipped with knowledge in human, women and children rights and skills to apply those knowledge in their daily work • Thus it was decided that OHCHR, UNFPA and UNICEF will support the National Police School to include specific modules in the in and pre-service training curriculum

4. Programmatic interventions • OHCHR and UHRC contacted the Police School to discuss the content and the procedures to produce the modules and further actions required; • TORs for technical assistance developed jointly and OHCHR hired a consultant to review the existing police training curriculum; • Several meetings were held among OHCHR, UNICEF and UNFPA and with police training division to review the contents. • Two pilot training sessions were conducted in Gulu and Kitgum for 76 senior police officers with active participation of all involved UN Agencies

5. What are the concrete changes? • A notable change in the behavior of the trained police officers in Acholi districts , e.g. they are more sensitive towards the rights of people, the cases of domestic violence are carefully looked at and registered. 'Police have started smiling when they arrest suspects', a comment made by a UHRC staff in Gulu. • In addition the training of 100 Police officers on how to divert from Justice system the children accused of petty crimes by under another activity has also contributed to change in Police behavior • It the first time that the Uganda National Police School has incorporated HR/GBV and CP in its curricula

6. Lessons Learnt and way forward • The intervention is sustainable because the top management of the Police School agreed to include the three modules in its curriculum • However follow-up interventions are needed, such as • Provide support to the National Police School to implement the new curriculum, i.e. training of trainers, coaching, printing of materials; • Support the UPF to have a sustained approach to capacity building of the police in the seven districts of Acholi as there are continuous changes in the Police due to transfers, rotations and replacement of old cadres there is need to;

7. Lessons Learnt and way forward • UPF should monitor closely how the police forces in Acholi apply the HR/GBV and CP principles and standards and use them as a criteria for promotion of its staff. • Develop short briefs and/or short handbook on human rights, child protection and SGBV for all police officers • Conduct 'trace' studies to see the changes in the trained officers, • Lobby for inclusion of those principles in the Police Standard Operating Procedures.

8. Thank you from OHCHR, UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF