UN workshop on violence-free elections in Salone

Politics

In its continued efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL), in collaboration with the Government and UNIFEM, has concluded a three-day capacity building workshop for middle career police officers on their role in ensuring peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections. The workshop was held from 1 to 3 August for 40 women and 10 men. It provided them information on human rights principles; citizenship and electoral laws; as well as conflict analysis and mediation. Among other issues discussed were the Political Parties Code of Conduct as developed by the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) and signed by all the political parties; security and democratization; crowd control; transitional justice; and negotiation skills. In their joint presentation on the concept of gender, gender relations and the status of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Jebbeh Forster, of UNIFEM, and Enshrah Ahmed of UNIOSIL, focused on enhancing the capacity of police officers in dealing with the public and how to effectively handle domestic violence, especially for those working with the family support Unit of the SLP. Addressing the officers, Mr. Navaraj Dahkal of the UN Police said, “we are here to strengthen the capacity of the SLP to address post-war challenges and consolidate the hard won peace in the country consistent with the mandate of UNIOSIL”. Sheik Bakarr Kamara, outreach officer of UNIOSIL, emphasized the training’s consistency with Security Council Resolution 1325, which is geared towards providing greater protection and build the capacity of women so that they “may become partners rather than followers”.

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