Security Forces Train in Children’s Rights and Laws

UNICEF is hosting a one week train the trainers for security forces. The weeklong sessions are being used to share techniques and knowledge on children’s rights with police officers and B.D.F. soldiers. The idea is to get officers to respect the rights of children, who come in conflict with the law. UNICEF says that the training is part of their work in child protection and advocacy for children and their rights. Today, we stopped by to find out more about the sessions from the consultant who is conducting the trainings.

Joshua Dankoff

Joshua Dankoff, Consultant

“The idea is to help improve the capacity of folks within the training departments of both institutions to have greater knowledge around children’s rights and the child justice system; how best to support children in conflict with the law and child victim witnesses and then work with them to think about how they can roll out that training for new recruits, new police officers and new B.D.F. officers. Children are different. Their minds and brains are constantly developing. Interacting with a child is different than interacting with an adult, so for example, for a case of a child in conflict with the law – a child accused of wrong doing – and the way a police officer may interview a child is different from the way they may interview an adult. They will need to make sure that the child is comfortable and build rapport to help get information to move a case forward but to also protect the child’s rights and make sure that a parent is in the room as well in the caution statement and make sure that the child is treated correctly so that the case can actually move forward.”