News Human rights training for security forces underway: Foreign Ministry
September 21, 2024
Foreign Ministry officials say the government is taking steps to improve awareness and knowledge about human rights among members of the country’s security forces.
The topic was broached during the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions at an event organized at the Skylight Hotel on September 16, 2024.
Semunegus Hailegiorgis, who presented the keynote address on behalf of Foreign Minister Taye Atskeselassie, told attendees Ethiopia is actively working to improve the knowledge and awareness of its security forces.
“Training programs are being disseminated in local languages nationwide with support from the ICRC, universities, and other relevant partners,” he said.
Semunegus said that the core values of the Geneva Conventions remain crucial in safeguarding human dignity, despite the changing nature of armed conflict, particularly in light of modern technological advancements.
“During armed conflicts, it is essential to uphold the principles of providing care to the wounded without discrimination, maintaining neutrality, and ensuring the inviolability of medical personnel and facilities, as well as the obligation to protect civilians,” he stated.
In the audience were notable guests such as Bruce Mokaya Orina, head of the ICRC delegation to the AU, and Pietro Mona, Swiss ambassador to Djibouti and permanent representative to the AU, IGAD, and UNECA, among others.
Participants highlighted that states have an unequivocal obligation to limit the human costs of war, a legal duty supported by the continued relevance of the treaty-based rules of international humanitarian law (IHL).
They called on states and conflict parties to set a strong example by upholding IHL and fostering a global culture of compliance.
Mona noted that states are the primary entities responsible for recognizing international law. He said that the international community acknowledges “non-state actors commit atrocities in armed conflicts” but stressed that it is ultimately the responsibility of states to prevent and control these abuses.
“The solutions really have to come from within the country to find lasting peace,” Pietro told The Reporter.
As an advocate of humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles, the ICRC is an independent organization engaged in humanitarian missions to protect and assist victims of armed conflicts.
Alyona Synenko, ICRC’s regional spokesperson, urged that states and other stakeholders must cultivate a culture of protecting civilians during armed conflicts, in line with the Geneva Conventions.
“We do not take sides but rather focus on helping people who are suffering, regardless of their background, beliefs, or actions. However, it is up to the states that have ratified the conventions to enforce change and protect civilians,” she told The Reporter.