By Dawda Baldeh
Assistant Inspector General of Police, Ebrima Bah, commended the training provided to twenty-five law enforcement officers from different security agencies on ensuring justice for migrants.
AIG Bah conveyed these thoughts at the launch of a four-day ‘train the trainers’ workshop centred on migrant justice. The event, organized by the National Human Rights Commission and backed by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), is an initiative under the PROMIS Project.
The workshop aims to provide law enforcement agencies with essential knowledge regarding the rights of migrants and the principles of the rule of law.
Access to justice is a fundamental right enshrined in law, essential for maintaining the rule of law.
The law ensures that migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers receive equal treatment. AIG Bah, representing the Ministry of Interior and the Inspector General of Police, highlighted the importance of the training, noting its relevance as the nation experiences an increase in trafficking and migrant smuggling incidents.
“While these migrants are within our shores they will need our protection as per international standards,” he said, adding that the security agencies should facilitate migrants’ access to justice and legal protection.
This training is among many that are undertaken by the National Human Rights Commission to improve human rights standards among security agencies.
“I am hopeful that the participants will leave this venue with useful and insightful experience that you can use to protect migrants from abuse and exploitation and avail them the opportunity to be heard and access justice, when necessary,” Bah expressed.
Lina Reguigui, Human Rights Officer at OHCHR PROMIS Project also outlined the significance of having such training for trainers in various security agencies in addressing issues of migrants.
“This protection of migrants’ rights worldwide emphasized their fundamental right to access justice a bedrock for safeguarding all other rights.
“This training will help to uphold the rights and migrants and address their challenges,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Mansour Jobe, Director of Legal Affairs and Investigation at the National Human Rights Commission stresses the importance of migrants accessing justice in respect to fundamental human rights while describing the training of trainers as timely and significant.
“This training is not a mere training but a call for action to protect the rights of migrants,” he said.
Mr Jobe lamented the challenges faced by migrants in accessing justice and called for concerted efforts to address the global phenomenon.
“We must take migrants’ rights seriously irrespective of their background. We must ensure justice remains accessible for all in our societies,” he emphasized.
