Here at Force International we have been busy over the last 12 months continuing to design and deliver training on gender based violence (GBV) to police officers. We are currently supporting UNWomen in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where nearly One Million Rohingya Refugees are settled within camps. We are providing capacity building for police officers based in and around Cox’s Bazar and the refugee camps, enhancing their responses to violence against women and girls (VAWG) both within the Rohingya and host communities. This is a year long project for our director Jane Townsley who has designed and delivered training to police 1st responders run a workshop for police and external stakeholders on prevention and joint working/problem solving for both victims and survivors of VAWG.

There are a great many challenges the Bangladesh police face in and around Cox’s Bazar with the large influx of Rohingya refugees, not only amongst the Rohingya themselves but also the impact on the local host communities. The humanitarian response to the Rohingya crisis has also brought thousands of aid agency and charity workers to the area, providing additional safety and security challenges with expectations n the local police being high.

Whilst there have been some improvements made to the police infrastructure across Cox’s Bazar, much more is needed. A visit to police stations by Jane Townsley, as part of the training needs analysis for police investigators of VAWG, highlighted the dedication and commitment of the police in responding to these crimes, despite very limited resources or victim friendly facilities.

We are currently working on the development of training for police investigators of VAWG, to be delivered in Cox’s Bazar later this year.