PRI’s Middle East and North Africa office training police officers in child rights in Yemen

PRI’s Middle East and North Africa office are currently organising workshops on justice for children in Sanaa, Yemen, in partnership with General Administration of Juvenile Police, and the Foundation, Together for Development and Human Rights.

Forty-five police officers from the Department of Women, Juveniles, and the Interior Ministry’s branches in Yemeni provinces attended the training.

Speaking at the training, Major General Mohammed Alzaleb, Head of the Prison Sector in Yemen, stressed the rights of children whether at police stations or detention centres, said there is a strong political will in Yemen to advance human rights, particularly the rights of vulnerable groups like children, and women in detention facilities, with the support of best practice and the use of local and international expertise in this area.

Mohamed Shabana, PRI Program Manager, presented the methodology and the content of the training programmes. He also spoke about the importance of collaboration between governments, NGOs and community leaders in disseminating the principles of restorative justice, alternative sanctions, educational measures, and the development of national legislation which respecting international standards.

George Abu Alzelouf, Child Protection specialist at UNICEF, underlined the role of UNICEF and the importance of joint programs with the Yemeni government, adding that some international and local reports indicated poor conditions for some children, particularly children in conflict with the law and children in need of protection and care. UNICEF is seeking to help build the capacity of the Yemeni government to bring legislation and policy into line with international standards and in particular with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Executive Director of the Foundation, Together for Development and Human Rights, Khaled Jabari, provided a briefing on the objectives of the training programme. The training is a joint initiative between the Foundation, Penal Reform International, experts from Jordan, Tunisia, and national experts trained by PRI. The training is part of the Juvenile Justice project financed by UNICEF, EU, and the Dutch government.

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