By Maimuna Sey Jawo
The National Human Rights Commission established for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Gambia yesterday commenced three-day training for thirty police officers on human rights violations.
The training held at a hotel in Bijilo and supported by the United Nations Development Programme UNDP aims to build the capacity of the police officers in the execution of their duties in line with the protection and promotion of human rights.
The officers would be trained on various areas ranging from public order management, the mandate, powers, and limitation of NHRC and international police standards amongst others.
The chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, Emmanuel Joof, said the role of the law enforcement officials and agencies in maintaining law and order is central in the effective functioning of the state.
The prominent human rights lawyer stated that the police have a pivotal role in upholding and maintaining peace in any country, adding that the programme is one of the many engagements and capacity-building initiatives conducted by NHRC for the rule of law actors with the main objective of building their knowledge and understanding on human rights.
The UNDP resident representative Aissata De said the training is in line with the recommendation made to The Gambia during the last Universal Periodic Review.
At the time, the country was encouraged to continue efforts at promoting awareness of the culture of human rights in the Gambian society and the importance of the presence of a human rights commission with the view of further improving the general situation of human rights.
She pledged her organisation’s continuous support to the Gambia’s transitional justice process, while urging officers to make the best use of the training to help enhance their work.
Established by an act of parliament in December 2017, the National Human Rights Commission is authorised to investigate and consider complaints of human rights violations in The Gambia, including violations by private persons and entities.
