MOGADISHU, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Some 21 Somali police officers have wrapped up a five-day training on human rights and international human rights law to gain knowledge and skills to perform their duties.
The training organized by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) was in fulfillment of the AU compliance and accountability framework which guides peace support operations in AU member states to adhere to international legal instruments on human rights, the AU mission said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on Thursday evening.
Marius Ngendabanka, ATMIS deputy force commander in charge of operations and plans, said the training is part of efforts to address the capacity requirements of the Somali security forces in human rights and international human rights law.
"I would like to assure you that ATMIS remains committed to facilitating capacity-building activities aimed at enhancing the protection of human rights in Somalia," Ngendabanka said.
The training was the second in a series of capacity building for personnel of the Somali National Army, the Somali Police Force, ATMIS and officials from the federal ministries of interior, human rights and security.
The inaugural session was held in the southern port city of Kismayo earlier this month.
Ngendabanka, who affirmed ATMIS's continued commitment to supporting Somalia in protecting the local population from violence, stressed the crucial role of Somali security forces in upholding human rights.
Participants benefited from presentations on the protection of human rights, including the rights of children, women, and internally displaced persons.
ATMIS Protection Officer Gloria Jasse said after this training, all participants are expected to share the knowledge acquired since the government forces are leading the ongoing offensive against the al-Shabab terror group.
"So this training is timely. They will be able to support other trainers within the Somali security forces by delivering training, making valuable inputs in the planning processes, implementation, and after-action of all operations," Jasse noted.
The participants were also updated on aspects of policies, institutions, legislation, and regulatory approaches with case studies.
"Prior to my training, I had little experience in child and human rights protection. However, the valuable insights shared have exposed me to so much more," said Abukar Hussein from the Somali National Army. ■
