Police officers and gendarmes from every corner of Turkey gathered at the “Training of Trainers on Combating Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women for Law Enforcement,” jointly organized by UNFPA Türkiye and the Ministry of Interior. In the training, many different topics such as women's and children's rights, the roles and responsibilities of law enforcement in combating violence against women, the workflow, the reflection of violence on health, refugee and migrant women, and child, early and forced marriages were discussed.

ANKARA - While violence against women and harmful practices against children continue to be among the most fundamental and widespread human rights violations all over the world, UNFPA Türkiye and the Ministry of Interior continue to cooperate, aiming for a stronger and more holistic approach to a more equal and just society in every corner of Turkey. 

In this context, “Training of Trainers on Combating Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women” was organized to protect the safety and well-being of women and children and to strengthen the information and response capacity of law enforcement officers working in this field. 60 police and gendarmerie personnel working all over Turkey under Gendarmerie General Command and the General Directorate of Security attended the first phase of the training, held in Ankara on September 26-30.

During the training, topics such as types of violence against women and children, basic concepts of women's rights, violence against refugee and migrant women, as well as child, early and forced marriage, effects of violence on women and children's health, communication methods with children and women who were exposed to violence, investigation of violent crimes, the roles and responsibilities of law enforcement were discussed. 

The opening speeches were delivered by UNFPA Türkiye Representative Hassan Mohtashami and the Ministry of Interior Provincial Administration Deputy Director General Tülay Baydar Bilgihan and the training was given by experts from UNFPA Türkiye, Gendarmerie General Command, Department of Legal Support Victim Services, Mother and Child Education Foundation (AÇEV) as well as lawyers, psychologists and migrations experts. 

In addition to the presentations,  the "Multilateral Approach and Coordination Workshop" was organized separately for the Gendarmerie General Command and the General Directorate of Security personnel. Participants had the opportunity to interactively discuss the issue of violence against women with the responsible institutions and organisations through case studies. 

The training ended with the certificate ceremony with the participation of Selcuk Aslan, General Manager of the Provincial Administration, Assoc. Dr. Engin Avci, Gendarmerie General Command Head of Public Security Department, Dr. Sibel Ozdemir, Director of the Department of Combating Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women of the General Directorate of Security. 

UNFPA Türkiye and the Ministry of Interior aim to further strengthen the information and intervention capacity of the main actors against violence—the police and gendarmerie— with the "Training of Law Enforcement Forces within the Scope of Combating Domestic Violence and Against Women." The training is planned to continue in October and November.