Project Title: National Project for Participatory Citizens-Police Interaction & training for improved policing of Human Rights violations and advocating police reforms
Year: 2007 – to 2016
Brief Description: Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment (Shehri-CBE) in collaboration with NED developed a project to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement to respond to human rights violations and to improve the public accountability of the police through greater citizen-police interaction. In 2007, Shehri-CBE launched the pilot project in Ferozabad Police Station in Jamshed Town, Karachi. Since 2008, Shehri-CBE gradually expanded the project to include all four provinces and the federal capital area. In 2012-13, the Shehri-CBE project worked with police personnel from Islamabad, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunhwa, and Sindh.
Training and Capacity Building: For each of the target areas, Shehri-CBE conducted a series of four training modules on the practice and methods of policing human rights violations. Each training module lasts two days and involves 30 police officials. The training modules are structured to give law enforcement officials a comprehensive understanding of human rights issues within the local, national, and international context. Shehri-CBE employs a variety of tools and methodologies in the training, including the use of case studies, role-playing, video, and conflict-resolution exercises
The first training module includes a survey and discussion of the relevant policies, rules, and legislation pertaining to human rights violations operative in Pakistan. The second training focus on religion and human rights, with a particular focus on human rights in an Islamic context. The third training module concentrates on human rights issues affecting vulnerable sectors of society. Shehri-CBE uses specific case studies dealing with human rights violations involving women, children, and minorities. The fourth module explores international human rights conventions and norms, such as the UN Declaration on Human Rights. Shehri-CBE hold the trainings in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta for a total of 16 workshops overall.
We will also conduct a series of workshops to improve the skills and awareness of police inspectors on criminal investigation techniques that conform to international human rights standards. Ten workshops are held on a regular basis throughout the year at the Police Training College in Saeedabad, Karachi. The trainer, a retired senior police officer who was trained in Human Rights and Law Enforcement in the UK and USA, teaches participants how to conduct search of persons or premises without violating civil rights, how to interview women, how to respect the right of privacy, how to interview suspects within the parameters of human rights norms, and how to treat the accused in a humane and dignified manner. The workshop also encourage police to abstain from activities that are prohibited by law, including torture, wrongful confinement, abuse of authority, and illegal searches.
To promote long-term sustainability and strengthen the capacity of the local police, Shehri-CBE organizes a two-day “Master Trainer Workshop” for 10 to 20 selected law enforcement officials who have completed the four training modules. Selection is based on the performance and interest of the participating law enforcement officials in the preceding training modules. The Master Trainer are held in Islamabad – The selected Master Trainers are flown to Islamabad they meet and interact with others from the cities, they spend half the day sightseeing and getting to know one another, in the 2nd half in the morning session they are given the training on how to become trainers and on the 2nd day it is completed and certificates are given. To date we have trained 101 master trainers.
Shehri-CBE continues a campaign to build support for police reforms that promote accountability and rule of law. Shehri-CBE organizes half-day workshops on the issue of police reforms. The first workshop, entitled, “Trust Deficit – Bridging the Gap,” seeks to address the lack of trust between the police and the community. Shehri-CBE brings together 60-80 people drawn from police personnel, government officials, civil society groups, media, academics, and elected representatives to discuss the causes and possible solutions to this problem. The second workshop, “Police and Community – Face to Face,” brings 30-40 police personnel and academics together to discuss the relationship between the police and community. A third workshop on “Police and Youth” bring together 30-40 police personnel, students, and young professionals to bring forth youth perspectives about the police. The final workshop on “Police Reforms – A Session with Civil Society,” brings 30-40 civil society representatives and police personnel together to discuss police reform issues.
After the four workshops, Shehri-CBE organizes forums bringing together 100-150 participants representing government, civil society, media, academia, and the general public. Representatives from the various sectors who participate in the four previous workshops also participate in the assembly and have an opportunity to air their perspectives about police reform issues and police-citizen interaction.
Shehri-CBE publishes a brochure in both English and Urdu highlighting the key issues related to the debate on police reforms and distributes them to policymakers, elected representatives, government departments, civil society groups, media, and academics. We also conduct a two-month public service campaign by running advertisements in national newspapers. A total of two advertisements are in in English and Urdu dailies.
Finally, Shehri-CBE holds three focus group discussions on police reforms in each target city to discuss the details of policy implementation. Each focus group discussion lasts three to four hours. The first focus group involves 40-60 police personnel, the second includes 60-80 civil society groups and media representatives, and the final focus group targets 30-40 parliamentarians and political party leaders.
Workshops
September 15-16, 2015, Module 1, Hyderabad Range Police held at Police Line, Hyderabad
September 17-18, 2015, Module 2, Hyderabad Range Police, held at Police Line, Hyderabad
January 4-5, 2016, Module 1, Karachi Range Police, held at Police Training School, Garden, Karachi
January 6-7, 2016, Module 2, Karachi Range Police, held at Police Training School, Garden, Karachi
January 25-26, 2016, Module 1, Baluchistan Police, held at Lourdes Hotel, Quetta
January 27-28, 2016, Module 2, Baluchistan Police, held at Lourdes Hotel, Quetta
March 14-15, 2016, Module 3, Hyderabad Range Police, held at Police Auditorium, Hyderabad
March 16-17, 2016, Module 4, Hyderabad Range Police, held at Police Auditorium, Hyderabad
May 3-4, 2016, Module 3, Baluchistan Police, held at Lourdes Hotel, Quetta
May 5-6, 2016, Module 4, Baluchistan Police, held at Lourdes Hotel, Quetta
May 17-18, 2016, Module 3, Karachi Range Police, held at Police Training School, Garden, Karachi
May 19-20, 2016 Module 4, Karachi Range Police, held at Police Training School, Garden, Karachi
June 1-2, 2016 Master Trainer Workshop, held at Islamabad Hotel, Islamabad
