63 977 km to an ESDC training course

From 7 to 18 October 2019, an ESDC ‘training of trainers’ course entitled ‘Preventing and Investigating Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Conflict Environments’ was conducted in Germany by the Baden-Wuerttemberg State Police College. It was supported by the Ministry of the Interior in Berlin and carried out in cooperation with the Swedish National Courts Administration.

17 participants from 10 different countries around the globe travelled 63 977 km to attend this course. Some of them currently work in EU missions such as EUBAM Libya, EUCAP Sahel Mali, EUCAP Sahel Niger or EUBAM Ukraine. Police and civilian personnel got together to learn and discuss different ways of preventing and investigating cases of SGBV. From the call to the crime scene to forensic measures and right through to court proceedings, the whole span of the chain of justice was discussed and training was given. During the course, participants enhanced their knowledge inter alia through discussion, role-play, case studies and various group assignments. The participants learned not only about the subject but also about how to support the same training as a facilitator.

“I am really impressed by this training, it seems it was tailored for the three of us going to the mission to South Sudan”, said one of the participants at the end of the course. Another said: “The whole two weeks were really inspiring, the training will enhance the quality of my work”.

These two weeks once more showed the importance of working on Prevention and Investigation of Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Conflict Environments. The results of the different tasks assigned throughout the course demonstrated that a comprehensive and coherent approach to preventing or fighting SGBV is key.