Press Release

 

Regional Training of Trainers on UNODC Toolkit for Law Enforcement Officials

 

Islamabad,  30 May - 02 June 2016

ISLAMABAD - Internationally, the essential role played by law enforcement in protecting citizens and promoting public health, particularly in vulnerable communities, is gaining increased understanding and appreciation. Of these communities, drug users are amongst the most vulnerable; therefore, greater emphasis must be placed on how law enforcement personnel engage with members of this group.

The UNODC has developed a toolkit to support law enforcement personnel in order to better understand and engage more effectively with members of vulnerable populations, such as drug users. These toolkits will provide police officers of all ranks with essential knowledge and skillsets needed both to protect them and to provide a positive enabling environment that enhances the collective health of the community. 

Based on this toolkit, a four day long Training of Trainers (ToT) course is being organised for law enforcement officials from the countries covered by the UNODC Regional Programme on Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries (Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan). Approximately 25 law enforcement officials from these countries are participating in the course.

Mr. Toaha Hussain Bugti, Senior Joint Secretary, Narcotics Control Division, Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, graced the opening ceremony of the training course as the chief guest.

During the course of the training, participants will develop a better understanding of the correlation between policing and public health. This "ToT" training course will build upon the capacities of the participants, so that in the future they may  conduct future training courses on the subject within their respective countries. The course will help them understand drug use, appropriate public health responses to drug use and the role of law enforcement in supporting these efforts. In addition, it will allow them to apply their acquired skills to productively engaging with vulnerable populations, namely users of illicit drugs.

The training is supported by Government of Sweden through the UNODC Regional Programme on Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries.

 

For further information, kindly contact Rizwana Asad, Communications Officer, via 0301-8564255 and/or rizwana.asad@unodc.org.