The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights in charge of relations with the institutions, through the interministerial committee for human rights and international humanitarian law organized on August 17 and 18, 2023 in Pô, in the province of Nahouri (Centre-Sud), a consultation and experience-sharing workshop with the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) on the rules for protecting the civilian population and vulnerable people in times of conflict.

The defense and security forces (FDS) are frontline players in any conflict.

Their constant solicitation in the theaters of peace support operations requires them to be sufficiently equipped with the rules and principles applicable in times of conflict.

Thus, the Pô session aimed to sensitize the FDS on the rules for the protection of the civilian population and vulnerable people, in times of conflict and other situations of violence.

For two days, the participants, from all the corps of the Pô garrison, discussed, among other things, international humanitarian law, the general protection of civilians and specific rules for the protection of vulnerable people.

These were the cases of women, children, refugees and internally displaced persons, the repression of offenses committed against vulnerable persons, in times of conflict and other situations of violence.

They (participants) also dwelt on the role and responsibility of the FDS in terms of protecting vulnerable people.

For the High Commissioner of the province of Nahouri, Auguste Kinda, who chaired the work, the FDS play an essential role in the protection of vulnerable people.

Mr. Kinda invited the participants to seize this opportunity to further strengthen their capacities and knowledge on the rules for the protection of the civilian population and vulnerable people in times of conflict.

The executive secretary of the interministerial committee for human rights and international humanitarian law, Abdou Moumouni Ouedraogo, said he was satisfied with the exchanges of these two days of experience sharing.

According to him, these tools will allow the FDS to once again integrate the rules of international humanitarian law into their daily mission.

Mr. Ouédraogo also welcomed the exchanges, the fact that the capacities of the participants were strengthened on the rules for the protection of the civilian population and vulnerable people in times of conflict and other situations of violence.

Source: Burkina Information Agency