REPORT OF TRAINING AND SENSITIZATION OF UPDF CONTINGENT DEPLOYED FOR PEACEKEEPING MISSION TO SOMALIA UNDER THE AFRICAN UNION,

JinjaMilitaryAcademy, 21st– 27thFEBRUARY 2007.

Introduction:

Save the children in Uganda in partnership with Save the Children Sweden, UNICEF and the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) conducted 1- week training for the UPDF personnel going for the peace keeping mission in Somalia. This was in line with the communication from the Secretary General urging memberStates and relevant international and regional organizations to ensure that appropriate training on the rights & protection of children & women is included in their programme for personnel involved in UN operations or similar regional activities.

The training activity commenced with a 3-day training for officers with commanding responsibility (90 officers were trained) and thereafter a -one day sensitization for the other lower ranks divided into groups (1031 soldiers were sensitized).

Facilitators were drawn from Save the Children in Uganda and UPDF officers who underwent the TOT on child protection. In addition the training received support from partners currently working in Somalia i.e. UNICEF, UN OCHA & Save the Children UK.

1. Objectives:

The objectives of the training were:

  1. To facilitate reflection on provisions of international law instruments regarding armed conflict and protection of children & Women
  2. Discuss the mandates & responsibilities of peacekeeping missions towards protection of civilians in an armed conflict situation
  3. To reflect on the role of militaries in protecting vulnerable groups during armed conflict
  4. To enlighten the forces on the current political & humanitarian situation in Somalia

2. The training package

Topics handled during the 3-day training program for Officers with commanding responsibility:

  1. Current humanitarian situation in Somalia
  2. Political situation
  3. Humanitarian crisis
  4. Clan divisions & their consequences
  5. International legal instruments & standards in relation to protection of civilians during armed conflict.
  6. Humanitarian issues during armed conflict
  7. Humanitarian crisis
  8. Obligations of troops towards civilians
  9. Principles of humanitarian assistance
  10. Role of humanitarian agencies
  11. Protection of children & women during armed conflict
  12. Concept of childhood
  13. Legal provisions for protecting children during armed conflict
  14. Principles of the UN CRC
  15. Effects/areas of risk of armed conflict on children
  16. Role of military in protecting children during armed conflict
  17. Sexual & Gender Based Violence
  18. Introduction to SGBV
  19. Beliefs & experiences in relation to SGBV
  20. Gender roles as grounds for SGBV
  21. IASC principles
  22. Monitoring & reporting violations against women & children
  23. Expected & encouraged behavior of troops – Code of conduct for peacekeepers

Topics handled during sensitization of the lower ranks:

  1. Current situation in Somalia
  2. International legal standards
  3. Principles of Humanitarian assistance
  4. Code of Conduct for Peacekeepers
  5. Sexual Gender Based Violence
  6. Child Protection
  • Guiding principles for working with children
  • Effects of Armed conflict on children
  • Role of military in child protection
  • Monitoring & reporting child rights violations
  • Communicating with children

3. Emerging issues from participants

a)How the Somalis will receive them especially after the failure of US peacekeepers & the unpopularity of the Ethiopian troops

b)How they can protect a child who is armed/carrying bombs and is confronting/threatening his life. Referring to the experience of the US peacekeepers while they were in Somalia and Somali children kept attacking them with bombs, one of the factors that contributed to their withdrawal.

c)Relationship with the Humanitarian agencies

d)Why did the Kenyans decide to close their borders bearing in mind that International Humanitarian Law requires countries to receive people running from conflict/seeking asylum.

e)Why the US peacekeeping mission failed in Somalia. Won’t those factors affect the UPDF while in Somalia?

f)International humanitarian principles demand that civilians are protected but how would you handle a situation while civilians are used as a shield in battles.

g)The soldiers were concerned with the fact that there was a lot of emphasis on protection of Somali children & women, but how about their own children & women they are leaving behind without certainty of when they return.

h)In relation to SGBV, the soldiers were concerned on how they control themselves (sexual libidos) for a long time they will be in Somalia. One Soldier actually asked whether there was any drug to take to control libido.

i)In relation to SGBV & Islamic culture, soldiers were concerned on how they handle a situation of searching women at a check point especially where female officers were lacking in their contingent. One Soldier equated this to romance or assault which is highly condemned in Islamic culture.

j)Participants raised an issue on a situation where they found some hungry children and have their packed food, would it be advisable to share with them?

4. Feedback from facilitators

Training Package, materials & Facilitation process

  • Generally the sessions were very interactive and the topics were relevant to the participants.
  • Participants were aware/appreciated the importance of not sexually abusing women but have personal challenges especially the circumstances in which they are working.
  • The participants were very keen to know more about Somalia bearing in mind the history, political situation, cultural & religion issues in Somalia.
  • Time given was not sufficient enough given the amount of information to pass on especially during the sensitization sessions. Delivery was done in a rush, there was less time to interact and get feedback and participatory methodology was not effectively explored during the process.
  • There was some level of disruptions during the sessions as some troops or commanders were being called upon to finalize other preparation or even leave for the journey resulting in some of them missing out some sessions.
  • Some materials were not sufficient enough. The lower ranks did not receive a copy of the code of conduct for peacekeepers, Blue Helmet. Action: To contact Save the children UK, Sweden & UNICEF to see if they can reprint pocket copies for the lower ranks. Maj. Musibi to follow up.
  • Composition of the contingent had a small number of ladies which is likely to affect the way they will operate and handle issues involving females.

Training methodologies

  • The use of simplified and pictorial materials like the magazine on “A Good Soldier” worked well, attracted participants attention and enthusiasm during the sessions.
  • The troops were divided in big groups not appropriate for effective and participatory training. It was thus recommended that in subsequent training the target should be for smaller units like a Platoon comprising of about 30 soldiers

Logistics & Administration

  • UPDF facilitators expressed their dissatisfaction on the facilitation fee given the workload and suggestions were made to use Government rates rather than SCiU ones.
  • In future, some facilitation allowance would be necessary for some Officers who were actively involved in mobilizing & organizing the troops for training.
  • The training was cost effective as it was conducted in the Military training academy which had facilities and provided participants with meals. However for TOTs for commanders it was recommended that they are held outside the military establishments for concentration.

5. Recommendations

  • There is need to follow up the troops in Somalia to assess the level of protection during their operations. It was recommended that a team of facilitators travel to Somalia after 3 months and at the end of the mission. Maj. Musibi to consult SC UKand Sweden on availability of resources to facilitate this process. In addition there is need to develop monitoring tools for the team. In addition it was also recommended that contact is made with humanitarian agencies working in Somalia to give feedback on performance of the troops in relation to protection of children and women. Another suggestion was made for UPDF to have internal mechanisms for monitoring and reporting, which they said existed but the information is only for their use and cannot be shared.
  • In future the trainings should be organized way in time to give sufficient time to prepare for the trainings and conduct them systematically with appropriate methodologies. In addition it was recommended that we advocate for Parliament and other decision makers to always take into consideration the fact that the troops should be given approval way in time so that there is sufficient time to prepare training plans for them.
  • In future there should be more integration of female officers in the peacekeeping forces mission
  • In future training plans, a TOT should be conducted for the commanding Officers; empower them with facilitation skills to sensitize the lower ranks as a way of building on their usual responsibility and rolein guiding the forces under their control. In doing so, Save the Children and the UPDF officers having undergone the TOT would play a supportive role during the sensitization.
  • There is need to review the training materials especially the International legalstandards to have user-friendly and simplified versions especially for the ground troops.Maj. Musibi to follow up on this issue.
  • Materials used during this AMISOM training should be kept for future reference in other trainings.
  • A regional network for trainers of the military across East, Central and SouthernAfrica anda contact list for trained facilitators should be set up in a form of a roster for ready-to-use team even on short notice. Maj. Musibi to follow up. An Advanced TOT is being planned for May 2007 to build on this process.

General issues for Save the Children in Uganda-SCiU partnership with the UPDF

  • There is need to sustain information flow within the UPDF to counter transfers by developing a data base of all UPDF TOTs and facilitators plus their locations so as to track their performance in disseminating child protection information in the field. Maj. Wacha to follow up. In addition, there is need for all facilitators to meet periodically to get feedback on what they are doing, challenges, experiences, and lessons learnt.
  • There is need to improve information sharing between SCiU and UPDF especially on progress being made in mainstreaming Child Protection in the institution and other protection concerns that require attention, like performance on implementation of international standards, resolutions and conventions involving the government of Uganda/UPDF.
  • There is need for improved coordination between UPDF HQs and the regional divisions especially the 4th & 5th Divisions where an active project is running in Northern Uganda.
  • There is need to step up the process of integrating Child Protection in the UPDF training curriculum. The Uganda Human Rights Commission is already supporting this process and there is need to consult stakeholders in child Protection so as to come up with a comprehensive package.

Conclusion:

The training was successfully concluded. It enhanced the capacity of the UPDF to be better protectors of children and women while on the Mission. They appreciated the training and the materials given and requested for further trainings in future. They are very optimistic as regards the mission ahead of them and pledged commitment to the protection of children and women.