DILI, 09 october 2023 (TATOLI) – The UN Spotlight Initiative in Timor-Leste organized a two-day seminar on the “Trauma Sensitive Approach” to support Vulnerable Persons Police Units (VPU)-Timorese National Police (PNTL) and the Community Police to ensure that better services are provided to the victims/survivors of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), as well as to share their experiences on how to promote and improve trauma-sensitive services, especially when handling VAWG related cases in the country.
UNDP Project Manager Lívio Xavier said that the seminar was important for the VPU-PNTL and the Community Police to acquire some knowledge about the Trauma Sensitive Approach, which will help them to provide adequate services to the violence against women and girls in the future.
The first representative of the criminal justice system to come into contact with a victim of crime is often PNTL, so they need to have knowledge of how to approach crime victims.
“Sharing knowledge about the Trauma Sensitive Approach is very important for the UPV-PNTL and the Community Police to help them interact properly with victims of crime,” Xavier told reporters at the seminar held at Suai Room, Timor-Plaza, in Dili, on monday.
UNDP is always committed to working with the VPU, PNTL and community police and relevant parties to enable access to justice for many individuals, especially women and girls in the country.
Xavier hopes that the VPU-PNTL and the community police will work cooperatively and impartially to support victims’ access to justice in Timor-Leste.
The Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice, Virgílio Gutters also mentioned the importance of having knowledge of the Trauma Sensitive Approach in order to help VPU-PNTL and Community Police to interact with crime victims in accordance with the legal procedure.
PNTL’s General Commander, Henrique Da Costa, said that it was a great opportunity for the VPU-PNTL and the community police, to acquire more knowledge to help them with criminal investigations.
“I thank the UNDP for organizing this seminar. VPU-PNTL and Community Police officers will do their best to take the right approach to supporting crime victims,” he said.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Filomeno Martins
