The Namibian Police Force offer human rights courses at its basic training to their
recruits.
In addition, Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation
Organization (SARPCCO) provides training on code of conduct, human rights and
policing towards ethical policing on which the following topics are covered:
Human Rights and Policing
Major Human Rights Instruments
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
The Convention on the Rights of the Child
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW)
The training Curriculum of the Namibian Correctional Services provides for a
significant number of courses, which are aimed at teaching correctional officers
how to treat offenders humanely and avoid alleged incidences of torture (GBH),
cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. These topics include: The mission of the
Namibian Correctional Service, the Constitution of Namibia, Human Rights in
prisons, duty to act fairly, the use of force, crisis intervention and conflict
management, responding to manipulative behaviours, person and area searches
and report writing; defusing situations, and the use of weapons, firearms, batons
and handcuffs.
The Namibia Defence Force which has participated in several regional and
international peacekeeping missions, and, having been faced with security concerns
nationally places emphasis on educating its members on Human Rights and
Humanitarian Law. Topics on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law are included
as part of subjects taught during basic military training, Non-Commissioned
Officers courses, Officers cadets training, and basic and advanced military law
training.
As part of the Humanitarian Law, the aspect of torture receives
prominence and most of the materials used are sourced from the Namibian
Constitution, international instruments and the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC). In addition, the Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with the ICRC,
conducts human rights workshops for its members on an annual basis. The
Ministry of Defence has entered into an agreement with local tertiary institutions to
offer courses in human rights law to its members.
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