The South African Police Service’s Dignity, Diversity And Policing Project: The Promotion And Protection Of Human Rights, Dignity And Safety For All.
In the past years, civil society organisations (CSOs) in South Africa have been working with law enforcement agencies in their respective provinces to reduce violence and human rights violations and to develop harm reduction strategies. COC Netherlands, a Dutch CSO, coordinated a similar intervention that worked with South African CSOs and the South African Police Service (SAPS) at the national level to develop a sensitisation manual and to train SAPS officers with regard to sex workers (SW), people who use drugs (PWUD), and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people. The training addressed police attitudes towards embracing dignity and diversity when they deal with SW, PWUD and LGBTI people.
This lessons learned document focuses on how COC worked together with South African CSOs, SAPS and academics to develop a training manual and to test and pilot the corresponding training with SAPS. It tells of how sustainable relationships were built and strengthened between COC, SAPS and CSOs to ensure that adequate services are provided by police officers working with the SW, PWUD and LGBTI communities.
Full PDF available here, and under “facts sheets and reports” on the LEAHN resources page.
