LocationsStrengthening Police-Community Relations: Officers Undergo Human Rights Training
July 1, 2025
Nadi, Fiji – 30 police officers from the Western Division of the Fiji Police Force have gathered in Nadi for the opening of a two-day workshop focused on human rights, social cohesion and law enforcement.
The workshop, under the Joint United Nations Peacebuilding Fund’s Strengthening Social Cohesion Pathways, Human Rights and Women’s Civic Participation project, is part of a broader national reconciliation and social cohesion effort led by the Fiji Government.
30 Police Officers undergoing training.
The workshop will equip police officers with practical skills in conflict resolution, identification of hate speech and racist rhetoric, and communication strategies to de-escalate conflict. It also includes sessions on international human rights standards, freedom of expression, handling complaints, the use of force, and accountability under the convention against torture, with a particular focus on rights of vulnerable groups such as children, persons with disabilities, and women.
Throughout the training, participants will discuss the principles of policing, crowd control and election security policing, enabling them to uphold public order while respecting human rights, ensuring accountability, and fostering public trust during sensitive situations.
Commanding Officer Border Police, Superintendent Esira Bari.
Commanding Officer Border Police, Superintendent Esira Bari, said:
“We (police officers) must always practice good ethics and deal with complaints in a fair, non-discriminatory manner that is respectful to the diversity in Fiji’s community, focusing on vulnerable persons such as children, persons with disabilities, and women.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Pacific Regional Office Legal Officer, Releshni Karan.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Pacific Regional Office Legal Officer, Releshni Karan, said:
“Human rights are not an obstacle to your work, rather it is the foundation. It is a process to ensure that all people live a life of security and dignity. Police officers should be seen by the public as protectors of human rights, not abusers. Trust and confidence in policing by communities is essential to achieve social cohesion, deter crimes and support law abiding and peaceful neighbourhoods.”
UN Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji Project Manager, Raphael Asuliwonnu.
UN Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji Project Manager, Raphael Asuliwonnu, added:
“Policing is the most visible form of social cohesion in any society. The way policing is done directly impacts cohesion, and trust in the community.”
This workshop builds on previous human rights training provided to the Fiji Police Force and aligns with Minister for Defence and Veteran's Affairs, Hon. Pio Tikoduadua’s commitment to the Restore Blue initiative, which advocates for the Fiji Police Force to operate independently and impartially, free from political influence.
Since the launch of the PBF project in April last year, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNDP Pacific Office and UN Women have trained over 200 police officers in Fiji.
This work is a partnership between UNDP, UN Women, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and key national institutions including the Prime Minister’s Office, Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, Online Safety Commission and the Fiji Police Force.
For more information, please contact:
Ashna Kumar, Communications Associate | UNDP Pacific Office | (E) Ashna.kumar@undp.org or Ana Naisoro, Police Media Spokesperson | Fiji Police Force | (E) Abnaisoro@gmail.com
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