Peace Building Fund supports capacity building efforts at Juba Northern Division Police to strengthen rule of law, promote human rights and ensure access to justice.

Have you ever imagined running to a police station for help, safety, and redress, all to no avail? This used to be the situation for victims of gender-based violence (GBV) who would come to the Northern division police station in Juba to report GBV cases before the establishment of a Special Protection Unit (SPU) established in 2020, through a collaborative effort with the UN. Since then, the SPU has been tasked to handle gender-based violence cases and has become an important entry point for victims to access justice and support.   

With support from the Gender mainstreaming in Security Sector Reform project implemented by UNDP and UN Women with funding from the UN Secretary General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), police officers assigned to the unit were trained on how to handle GBV cases appropriately. The training included knowledge on victim handling and support, victim centered approach, evidence collection, record management and data keeping, court proceedings, and referral pathways. This equipped the officers with the critical skills and knowledge to better support victims and survivors of GBV.

 “The training enhanced our capacity to handle and investigate sexual related crimes. Some of us have been trained to be trainers of trainees and we are now extending the training to our colleagues in other states” said Jackson, one of the Police Officers at the Northern Division Special Protection Unit. 

Jackson explained that the first training by UNDP was like an eye opener, it exposed them to many learning opportunities.

 “Knowledge from the training made us seek more information and as a result we were able to benefit from many other trainings and workshops organized by UNFPA, UN Police, and UN Women. These trainings further enhanced our knowledge on gender issues and investigation strategies” Jackson continued to narrate how UN’s support empowered them to offer better support to GBV victims.

They were also introduced to facilities like the one stop center, where victims of GBV can be referred to for first aid and support, which is currently playing a vital role in ensuring that cases are handled with urgency. 

 Jackson explained that because of the improvements in case handling, they have witnessed an increase in the cases reported as more people now trust the system.     

  “The number of cases handled by the police has doubled, unlike before when most of the cases were handled at chief or traditional level," said Jackson. 

The formal handling of GBV cases by the police provides better opportunities for redress. Its more focused on human rights and relevant protection policies and laws. 

These interventions are part of the 2023-25 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) Strategic Priority1: consolidation of peace and transparent, accountable, and inclusive governance. Empowering the country's rule of law institutions helps to create a conducive environment where women and men in South Sudan, particularly youth and vulnerable groups, benefit from and participate in a more transparent, accountable, and inclusive governance. This enables the consolidation of peace, protects and promotes human rights, contributes to the rule of law, and ensures access to justice for all. It also contributes to strategic priority four on women and youth empowerment.