UNFPA supports police field staff on prevention and response to violence against women

Kabul, Afghanistan - Dr. Laurent Zessler, UNFPA Afghanistan Representative and Mr. Fazludin Ayar, Chief Commander of 202 Zone Police Headquarters inaugurate today Training of Trainers for Police on Prevention and Response to Cases of Violence against Women and Girls (VAW).

"It is said that violence against women has been called the most pervasive yet least recognized human rights abuse in the world. Therefore UNFPA puts every effort into breaking the silence and ensuring that the voices of women are heard and necessary services are put in place to support those women and girls. In this regard the role of police field officers is crucial and in several cases is the first entry point for those victims. The capacity building programme is part of a long term commitment to develop field police officers skills to prevent and respond to cases of violence against women and will contribute in creating enabling environment for women and girls to live in dignity and in freedom from violence" said Dr. Laurent Zessler, UNFPA Afghanistan Representative.

The training is result of long-standing partnership between UNFPA and MOI and is conducted in cooperation with Afghan National NGO "Humanitarian Assistance for Women and Children of Afghanistan - HAWCA". The TOT is based on the "Police Taking Action on VAW in Afghanistan" Manual on techniques and procedures for effectively dealing with violence against women cases which was approved by the Ministry of Interior in May 2011. All content in the manual refers to national legislation and quotations from the Holy Quran and the ‘Ahadith' (teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH), which make it relevant, acceptable and usable in the local context.

Thanks to this training 25 police officers from Kabul and provinces will be trained as trainers on prevention and response to cases of VAW and as the next step further number of training will be conducted in Nangarhar, Bamyan and other provinces with the support of the trainers.

"This training is an important step for bringing justice to the lives of Afghans. We must fight violence against women, not just as police personnel, but also as human beings" said Mr. Fazludin Ayar, Chief Commander of 202 Zone Police.

Selay Ghaffar head of Humanitarian Assistance for the Women and Children of Afghanistan said, "Violence against women is widespread calamity in Afghanistan which threatens the life of most women, girls and boys. The women organizations such as Humanitarian Assistance for the Women and Children of Afghanistan (HAWCA) and government can be vital actors of change to elimination of violence against women. To eradicate this catastrophe, initiatives like this training play an important role. Elimination of violence against women needs all time commitment from all actors specially police and judiciary."

Afghanistan ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against women (CEDAW) in March 2003 as well as UN Human Rights treaties and UNFPA stands behind to support the government of Afghanistan in full implementation of those Human Rights treaties in the country.