👥 Partners: Al-Firdaws Association, Iraqi Ministry of Interior, Global Partners

🎯 Objective: Equipping police officers to become trainers in human rights, gender-sensitive security, and survivor-centered justice.

I led intensive training in Basra, where police officers transitioned from trainees to trainers, learning how to facilitate sessions, engage participants, and implement human rights-based security approaches.

💡 Transforming Security from Within

Building a sustainable approach to security sector reform starts from within. Policies and regulations can set the framework, but it is the people in the system who define its impact. This Training of Trainers (ToT) program focused on ensuring that officers themselves carry forward the knowledge, shape their institutions, and sustain reforms.

This was not just about learning human rights principles—it was about ensuring officers had the practical tools to train their colleagues and apply these principles effectively in the field.

🔹 A Practical & Engaging Approach

I used interactive and applied methodologies to ensure officers:

• Practiced leading training sessions to build their skills as future trainers.
• Worked through real-world scenarios on handling cases related to survivor-centered security.
• Challenged existing approaches by analyzing case studies and reflecting on institutional barriers.

The process allowed them to think beyond enforcement and engage in problem-solving that bridges security and human rights.

📊 Key Takeaways & Next Steps

✔ Officers developed training plans for their own units, ensuring sustainability.
✔ The program introduced a structured scaling model for wider adoption in other regions.
✔ Participants committed to integrating these approaches into daily policing.

This initiative is part of a long-term effort to build security forces that are rights-based, accountable, and responsive to the communities they serve.