ATMIS Police Personnel Trained On Protecting Children In Armed Conflict

MOGADISHU, Somalia, Jun 16-The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the United Nations have held a one-day awareness training course for ATMIS police personnel on their role in safeguarding and protecting children in armed conflict.

The training coincided with the commemoration of the International Day of the African Child, which is celebrated every 16 June, to raise awareness about the plight of children in Africa. This year, the day was marked under the theme of “Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children.”

Facilitators from the ATMIS Protection and Human Rights Group (PHRG), and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) Human Rights and Protection Group (HRPG), jointly conducted the training.

ATMIS Head of the Civilian Casualty Tracking, Analysis and Response Cell (CCTARC), Jones Sarfo, said they targeted ATMIS police personnel because they work closely with communities where children live.

“The police personnel closely interact with the population in the field. We want to sharpen their skills to engage their Somali Police counterparts on child protection issues,” said Sarfo.

The UNSOM Child Protection Officer, Sylvia Ngane, highlighted the impact of armed conflicts on children and the need for police to respond to child abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence incidents.

The training covered other topics on national and international legal frameworks on human rights, including International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights Law, duty to prevent, investigate and raise awareness about gender-based violence, and conflict-related sexual violence.

Inspector of Police (IP) Tracilla Ngonzi, ATMIS Police Gender Officer, who was among the trainees said the training will help ATMIS and the Somali Police Force (SPF) combat violations against women and children.

“Together with the SPF, we have to sensitise the public on conflict-related sexual violence. The public will then be able to work with the UN, police and other civilian components to fight the vice,” noted IP Ngonzi.

The training was attended by 20 ATMIS police personnel from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia contingents serving with different ATMIS sectors in Somalia.