The Namibian Police Force and UNESCO Join Forces to Enhance Media-Police Relations

In July 2023, the Namibian Police Force (Nampol) under its Training and Development Directorate, partnered with UNESCO and initiated a 5-day comprehensive module development programme on ‘Freedom of Expression in Relation to the Media and the Safety of Journalists’ with a view to integrate this module within its curriculum for police officers of all ranks.

These proactive steps to put in place measures to advance freedom of expression and reinforce journalists’ safety in Namibia, were done following Namibia’s participation in the Africa-continental dialogue and regional training on freedom of expression and safety of journalists, held in Mombasa, Kenya in November, 2022 – with a decision by Nampol to replicate the training at a national level.

The training addressed the complex and multifaceted role of the police and law enforcement officers in ensuring freedom of expression and the safety of journalists. On one hand, the police play a crucial role in upholding the rule of law and maintaining public order, which includes protecting the right to freedom of expression. They are responsible for ensuring the safety and security of all citizens, including journalists who often find themselves in dangerous situations while carrying out their work.

‘In a world where information flows rapidly and boundaries between nations blurs, the role of journalists as guardians of truth and accountability has never been more important’ - Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force, Joseph Shikongo

The purpose of this training module is to train and strengthen the competencies of all current and new law enforcement personnel with the necessary skills to cultivate professional relationships with the media and ensure the protection of journalists through enhanced communication practices. The module development workshop took place from the 7th to the 11th of August 2023 in Swakopmund and received its inauguration and closure under the auspices of Commissioner Nicolaus Kupembona, the Regional Commander of Erongo Region. The collaborative effort behind the module’s creation drew upon the expertise of 18 participants, 16 of whom were members of the Police Force, while 2 participants hailed from UNESCO and the Namibia National Commission for UNESCO.

Following this module development and with the help of an international expert, a pilot 5-day Training-of-Trainers (TOT) workshop was officiated by the Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force, Joseph Shikongo, in Windhoek from the 4th to the 8th September 2023. The workshop brought together 44 police officers and trainers from all 14 regions across the country, including members of the special reserve force, while 8 journalists engaged in a dialogue with police officers on the last 2 days.  

 It's a first of its kind training. The objective, which is to train the trainers, is very good because we are the people that train police officers on-the-ground, including the public relations officers in the police as well as the community affairs officers. Once we train the community affairs police, they will take it to the public. So, the public as well as the journalists will know how to interact with the police during riots or public demonstrations.

- Warrant officer, Vallery Vashinda, Oshana Region Field Training Office.

Participants were engaged in a blended programme of theoretical presentations to facilitate engagements and practical simulation drills to assess law enforcement's ability to respond to and manage a public disorder event.

As a way forward, the module on Freedom of Expression in relation to media and safety of journalists will be shared with the Namibia Media Ombudsman for a final review and then endorsed by Nampol for integration into the Police College curriculum for onward training. Once adopted, Namibia counts as one of the first countries in the African region to develop and apply such a course for security forces on freedom of expression and safety of journalists, marking a crucial step towards reinforcing the rule of law and enabling a free and safe environment for media workers.

I think this was a much-needed training, especially for me [as a journalist]. Before, I saw the police as an enemy. Following this workshop, I have a different mentality. We shouldn't work against each other, but with each other, for the better interest of the Namibian public. We are all working for a common goal, but just from different approaches.

- Linea Dishena, Namibia press agency, Nampa 

This training was supported by the Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists.

Since 2013, UNESCO and its partners have trained over 11,500 security forces from 160 countries on freedom of expression, access to information and safety of journalists through online and on-ground training workshops, dialogues between security forces and journalists, and the publication of a number of toolkits and guidelines.