A central challenge for Afghanistan remains its chronic insecurity. Despite the continued efforts of the Afghan government and its international partners to establish and sustain an effective and committed police force in Afghanistan, there is still huge public mistrust and therefore limited engagement between the police and the public. This lack of engagement limits the police in gathering information on needs and demands as well as to provide better law enforcement and client-oriented policing services. A major rule of law concern is the low number of policewomen. Despite specific actions undertaken by the GIROA, the number of policewomen in the Afghan National Police force remains only at 1.5% (2’399). This is not anywhere close to be sufficient to provide adequate police services to women in a society with high levels of gender-based violence and a considerable degree of gender separation outside homes.

Trust in and access to fair, effective, and accountable rule of law services is increased in accordance with applicable international human rights standards and the government’s legal obligations.

(LOTFA project document, based on United Nations Development Assistance Framework & UNDP Country Programme Document).

Direct target groups:

• MOIA personnel including the uniformed police (ANP, 157’000, out of which 2’399 or 1.5% is female), civilian employees and MOIA relevant departments across the country.
• 40 targeted districts as part of the Police e-Mardumi component in at least 20 provinces.

Indirectly: the Afghan population.

1) Institutional Development:

Capacities for reform and accountable and efficient MOIA management and oversight are improved with integrated civilian and uniformed leadership and management.

2) Police Professionalism:

Afghan people can benefit from effective police services in accordance with human rights and professional policing standards.

Expected results:  

• Expanded application of piloted community partnership approaches, including a strengthened role for Policewomen’s Councils;
• MOIA capacity to lead and manage reform, develop institutional capacity, improve aid coordination and continuously improve functional performance is strengthened;
• MOIA Internal control and accountability mechanisms for administration and finance and complaints resolution are improved;
• Relevant legislation, regulation and policy related to police reviewed to ensure conformance with prevailing constitutional values and evolving challenges.

Results from previous phases:  

• Improved gender empowerment in MOIA through recruitment and retention of over 933 police women in ANP, complemented with gender awareness and mainstreaming activities;
• Institutionalized and multi-faceted police-community interface expanded progressively to 8 provinces, including greater voice for women and youth in policing issues towards improvement of local security, police service delivery and accountability;
• Improved police mobility, responsiveness and morale through a progress of needs-assessed development of key police infrastructure at the national and sub national levels;
• Sustained capacity and institutional reform of the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MOIA) through capacity development programmes.

Ministry of Interior Affairs (MOIA), United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, civil society groups working on gender + other donors.

Afghanistan Urban Peacebuilding Programme (AUPP), Justice and Human Rights Programme Afghanistan (JHRA/HRSU) and Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).

Phase 6 01.11.2015 - 30.06.2018   (Completed)