Protection: Some 15 police officers are being trained on delivering training on women and child friendly police procedures at Hotel Migmar in Thimphu.

The three-week training on the Protection of Women and Children, which began yesterday, will strengthen the women and child protection services in the country.

Police Chief Brigadier Kipchu Namgyel said that dealing with the vulnerable group of the society – women and children – is becoming a challenge. It is timely and appropriate for Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) to update, learn and practice new approaches of providing protection services to women and children in the country.

RBP, as the key law enforcement agency, is legally duty-bound to protect and promote the rights of women and children. It also is morally obliged to provide fair treatment to women and children, either as victims or offenders, added Brigadier Kipchu Namgyel. The training is a necessary tool for law enforcement officials in the country.

Two experts from the Scottish Police College, Scotland will be building the officers’ capacity to train every policeman in the country.

Brigadier Kipchu Namgyel said that the training programme is designed to provide training to the relevant police officers who will gain practical experience so that they can directly transfer those skills when they are on duty.

Over the next three weeks, the officers will be educated on first responder module, investigative interviewing, and special investigator modules.

Scottish Police College’s head of the Crime Training Division, John Wyllie, said that all three modules are absolutely critical and vital. The training will help ensure confidence in law enforcement.

“We make mistakes and we continue to make mistakes. This training will help minimise the chances of mistakes and provide the best possible service we can to protect the vulnerable members of the community,” John Wyllie said.

Apart from Women and Child Protection Division at its headquarters, RBP has established a Woman and Child Protection Unit in three major police stations in Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing.

A Women and Child Protection desks have been established in police stations in Wangdue, Samdrupjongkhar, Gelephu, Trashigang, Samtse, Mongar, Trongsa and Tsirang.

These units function with mandates to ensure that acts relating to women and children protection are implemented and also to facilitate protection to victims of domestic violence, abuse, neglected, abandoned women and children, liaise with other agencies concerning women and children, among others.

RBP organised the training in collaboration with UNICEF and Police Scotland.

“This collaborative project will stand to benefit not only RBP but also those whom we serve and will go a long way in strengthening the capacity of RBP personnel,” Brigadier Kipchu Namgyel said.

Dechen Tshomo

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