Africa-Press – Liberia. The Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), with support from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), has wrapped up a three-day Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop under the theme “Embedding International Human Rights Standards into Policing and Security Practices.”
The exercise, held February 17–19, brought together officers from the Liberia National Police, Armed Forces of Liberia, Immigration Service, Fire Service, Customs, Executive Protective Service, Monrovia City Police, and the Bureau of Correction and Rehabilitation.
The workshop ended with a resolution calling for county-level training, stronger collaboration, refresher courses, and the establishment of human rights desks across Liberia’s security institutions.
INCHR Chairperson Cllr. T. Dempster Brown opened the session with a stark reminder of Liberia’s painful past. “That mandate is to promote and protect the rights of the Liberian people,” he said. “In the absence of the protection and promotion of human rights, there is always violence. Yes, always violence.”
Brown drew a direct line between rights violations and Liberia’s 14 years of civil crisis. “It was because of the violation of human rights in the society,” he noted. “We believe that your participation in the three-day workshop, you give more, and we are asking you to go back and tell your bosses why you’re lying here.”
He stressed Liberia’s international obligations as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. “Liberia is speaking out. Liberia is representing Africa on the non-permanent seat. And so, when we are speaking out there, there must be peace in our home. We can’t be violating our own rights, then we say we’re criticizing other people out there.”
Brown did not shy away from naming failures. “Our security sector’s operation is not embedded in human rights,” he said. “Therefore at times Police and AFL are at loggerhead, while City Police and the Liberia National Police officers attacking each other, while Police officers with sticks whipping motorcyclists and Keke riders at their check points.”
He warned that such practices erode Liberia’s dignity. “Human rights as a professional security standard is crucial for the dignity of any nation state,” he said.
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Country Representative, Christian Musoka, OHCHR Country Representative, praised the workshop’s collaborative spirit and urged continuity.
He emphasized cascading the training nationwide. “Let us make sure that this training is cascaded to the level of counties, not meaning that the quality is going to be down or low, meaning only that other people will benefit from your training. Because as we said it again two days ago, this is a TOT — a training of trainers.”
Musoka highlighted Liberia’s ownership of the process. “You didn’t have any international guys coming here training people. All the trainers were Liberians, and this is the legacy. We came just to give this financial support. The National Human Rights Commission did it, organizing it, and they’re doing it very well.”
The resolution adopted at the close of the workshop outlined priority actions include cascading human rights training across counties and regions, strengthening collaboration with INCHR through structured information-sharing and case referral mechanisms, providing periodic refresher training for officers who completed TOT programs, undertaking joint monitoring, awareness, and outreach initiatives.
Also to in establishing human rights units or desks within security institutions, equipped with integrated sensors for self-monitoring. Participants acknowledged persistent challenges logistical constraints, capacity gaps, and low pay but also noted progress in transparency, accountability, professionalism, and discipline, which have boosted public trust.
Assistant Commissioner Tete Wilson, Chief of Gender at the Liberia National Police, described the workshop as transformative. “These three days were such an amazing opportunity for every one of us here,” Wilson said. “It’s my humble prayer that as we return to our bureau units, we’ll be able to implement what we’ve learned, and to have the best practices of it all. We hope that this is going to be a continual process where we will always have refresher trainings on human rights.”
Executive Protection Service Inspector Boima Kamara pledged to spread the message.
“We have learned a lot. And we want to promise you that we are going out there to be instrumental in changing,” Kamara said.
He added, “We promise that we’re going let the message get out there, not the other way around. Some of our friends learned it before and want to justify why they still do it. Tell them it’s wrong. It’s wrong to do it.
He emphasized that no security personnel should violate the rights of ordinary citizens. “We should not do it. Like you said, it’s key for the country. It depends on national security. As long as it’s our duty to uphold human rights values.”
Brown urged unity among security agencies. “No security here is above the order. All of you on the same level, it’s just because of the different responsibilities that you have. But you are to maintain peace and stability in a liberal society,” he said.
“All of you have to protect the image of this country. Our image is brightened on the international level now. So we have to make sure that this government is successful as to the promotion and protection of human rights.”
The resolution called on the Government of Liberia and international partners to strengthen support to INCHR, enabling it to fulfill its mandate of advancing human rights protection, awareness, and education within law enforcement and the broader public.
Musoka assured continued OHCHR backing: “My office, we continue supporting this initiative. The support will continue under the leadership of the chair and the board of the commissioners.”
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
