UNODC steps up effort and multiply effect by building trainers’ capacity on child sensitive communication and trauma-informed approaches to protect children who have been returned from Syria and Iraq in Central Asia  

Astana, Kazakhstan, 7-9 December 2022  

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) continues supporting Central Asian Member States in the rehabilitation and reintegration of children who have been returned from Syria and Iraq; thanks to the newly formed partnership between the European Union and UN agencies under the Global Framework on United Nations (UN) Support on Syria / Iraq Third Country National (TCN) Returnees.

 

Since 2018, UNODC has been supporting Central Asian Member States in this area of work. As a result of consultations, assessments and training workshops targeting national stakeholders, UNODC identified “communication with children” and “child sensitive interviewing techniques” as important topics to be included in the curriculum and trainings for academies of law enforcement authorities, prosecutors and lawyers in order to increase the protection of these children.

When children have lived in areas of conflict, their lives change. They experience violence and trauma; and their bonds with society are affected. These children required that any professional or practitioners in contact with are trained on child sensitive communication and trauma-informed approaches, to prevent secondary victimization and re-victimization.

 

With this in mind, UNODC organized and carried out a Regional Training of Trainers on child sensitive communication and trauma-informed approaches to child interviewing that brought together 28 trainers from the Kazakh and Uzbek law enforcement academies from 7-9 December 2022.

The three-day event was an opportunity for participants to (a) learn about approaches and practical guidance to support government efforts to better treat children who have been returned from conflict areas, in line with international law; (b) gain knowledge on child sensitive interviews and techniques that are applicable in a broader context, not only for children who have been victims of terrorism but also to any child victim, witness of crime and violence as well as children in conflict with the law; (c) integrate the different aspects of emotional intelligence for interviewers and the psychological barriers of communication into interviewing techniques;  (d) development of soft skills to become an effective interviewer of  children, which includes collecting evidence in line with the best interest of the child and also mitigation of  risks of re-traumatisation and secondary victimisation before, during and after the interview process.

 

Participants welcomed the opportunity for extensive and in-depth exchanges. The Regional Training of Trainers will have a multiplying effect at national level when the attending trainers of law enforcement academies in turn deliver training for the staff and personnel of the law enforcement and criminal justice institutions in their home countries.  UNODC will continue engagement to support Member States in adopting these courses as part of the curriculum of law enforcement academies. 

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For more information, contact Vasilina Brazhko (Ms.)

Communication and PR Specialist at

UNODC Criminal Justice &PVE Programmes

in Central Asia

UNODC PO in the Kyrgyz Republic

+996775987817 WhatsApp or

e-mail: vasilina.brazhko [at] un.org