Six prosecutors in Jonglei State, including one female, have completed specialized training in investigation and prosecution of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases and child protection issues.

The training was organized by South Sudan National Police Service in collaboration with UNDP’s Access to Justice and Rule of Law project. It also engaged UNICEF and UNMISS child protection experts as facilitators.

The training was aimed at enhancing the investigative and prosecution capacity of both police and prosecutors to manage and respond to SGBV and child protection cases in coordination with other relevant stakeholders in order to achieve better results.

Topics covered during the training included understanding and identifying SGBV issues, SGBV and human rights, key gender issues in South Sudan, and regional provisions on child rights and detention.

Speaking during the closing of the workshop, Jonglei’s Minister of Education, Gender and Social Welfare, Ayom Mach Jok, acknowledged UNDP’s role in promoting access to justice in the state.

He explained that the majority of law enforcement personnel had not received any form of training to work in their institutions.

“It is not surprising to see a person who was detained yesterday at a police station walking on the streets today without any explanation from the police to the complainant of what happened to the case,” he said.

The minister encouraged participants to share the acquired knowledge with other colleagues in order to increase the impact of the training. He asked UNDP to extend similar training to senior police officers.

For her part, UNDP representative, Ms. Fiona M. Dhafi urged participants to work with the relevant partners for the improved management of SGBV and child protection cases.

She requested the SSNPS to ensure that the closed Special Protection Unit (SPU) office in Bor be re-opened and that trained police are deployed there to handle SGBV cases.

Fiona called upon the police authorities not to immediately transfer trained members from their investigation duties as they need to practice their newly acquired SGBV case management knowledge.