OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine presents interactive classroom for police cadets

DNIPROPETROVSK, Ukraine, 25 November 2009 - The first interactive classroom and specialized course on combating domestic violence for police cadets were presented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator at the Dnipropetrovsk State University of Interior in eastern Ukraine today.

The presentation on 25 November marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the start of the annual international campaign, "16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence".

The course was developed by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine in co-operation with the Ukrainian Interior Ministry. The first interactive classroom set up with assistance of the OSCE will be used for training on police response to domestic violence.

"Police officers play a key role in state response to domestic violence, and the specialized course and interactive classroom developed with the OSCE in Ukraine will help future precinct police inspectors learn how to react more effectively to domestic violence," said Ambassador Lubomir Kopaj, OSCE Project Co-ordinator.

The presentation was followed by a meeting with some 60 representatives from Ukrainian law enforcement authorities, educational institutions and civil society. They discussed the state response to domestic violence, the role of precinct police inspectors and operational procedures to be followed by police handling domestic violence cases.

The experts also focused on enhancing mechanisms to protect victims and make perpetrators accountable.

Arkadiy Zaporozhtsev, the Deputy Head of the Department of Public Security at the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, said that OSCE assistance with learning best international practices, notably the Austrian experience in combating domestic violence, was particularly useful. "The outcomes of these learning activities, presented here today, will serve as an effective tool in building the capacity of Ukrainian precinct police officers to better respond to domestic violence," he said.

The meeting was organized as part of a project to support Ukrainian institutions in effectively addressing domestic violence.