Security sector reform and the protection of civilians in Burundi

According to the UNDP, the main objective of SSR “is to strengthen the ability of the sector as a whole and each of its individual parts to provide an accountable, equitable, effective, and rights respecting service.”16 The United Nations plays an important role in Burundi, particularly in the area of security sector reform. [...] The Office has a mandate to support the government to: consolidate peace and democratic governance; advance the processes of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security sector reform; promote and defend human rights and the fight against impunity; and coordinate donors and UN agencies.18 In addition, in late 2005, the General Assembly and the Security Council created the UN Peacebui [...] The objective of the Belgian initiative is to help improve the basic level of knowledge of the police and to create the attitudes necessary to exercise the functions of a civilian police at the service of the population.32 In partnership with the PNB, Belgium has started to develop a number of training modules. [...] In addition, the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has implemented a training of trainers program within the PNB and has conducted some basic training on deontology, professionalization and the development of a national police at the service of the population. [...] Early Best Practices In light of the challenges facing the police and given the priorities of the population revealed in our national survey and in focus group discussions, international initiatives to focus on training and equipping the PNB to improve their capacities to fight crime, to increase their understanding of their roles in society and to better respect human rights seem well-placed.