Implications:
If SPT teams are not formed from member states with similar police cultures, then their policing
message to the HN may be incoherent, which may affect the degree to which any program can be
effectively implemented. If SPT team members are able to communicate in the local language, then
they will be more effective in connecting with their HN counterparts to design and implement
programs. If personnel specializing in the UN’s bureaucratic administrative process are not included
in SPTs, then SPT team members with policing expertise will not be able to focus on their
specializations but will instead spend much of their time trying to figure out how to make requests
through the UN systems. If SPTs are not funded independently, then they will be in competition with
other mission/police components for scarce project funding. If SPTs are not properly informed about
the other parts of the mission, then they may do redundant work and waste precious time and
resources. If SPTs do not consult directly with local HN police departments in program design, there
will be less local ownership and the programs may be less effective in reaching the host nation
populace. Aside from SPTs, SGBV should be included in all UNPOL police training for HN police.
Event Description:
This lesson is based primarily on this article:
“MINUSTAH’s Specialized Police Team to Combat Sexual Violence in Haiti,” by Marina Caparini and Kari
M. Osland, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), (2016).
For further information on UNPOL, see also: “External Review of the Functions, Structure and Capacity
of the UN Police Division,” (31 May 2016). See also: UNPOL and PKSOI's
MINUJUSTH Peace Operations Estimate in the POET2 Portal of SOLLIMS.
Lesson Author: Ms. Katrina Gehman, Lessons Learned Analyst (Ctr), PKSOI
________________________________________________
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
(8 March 2014)
Two UN Peacekeepers
and a young Haitian girl
attend an event organized
by the United Nations
Stabilization Mission in
Haiti (MINUSTAH) at the
Haitian Police Academy.
(Photo Credit: UN Photo/
Logan Abaassi)
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