Nepal: ICITAP Coordinates with the United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland on Police Reform Efforts

On December 10, ICITAP-Nepal’s Attaché met with members of the U.K.’s Department for International Development (DIFID), representative from the Norwegian Embassy, and a representative from the Swiss Embassy to discuss each role in Justice and Police Development. ICITAP has regular meetings with DIFID to identify where the U.S. and the U.K. can work together and to ensure there are no duplication of efforts in the work with the Nepal Police. The Norwegian and Swiss embassies currently have programs in Province 1 and 7 focused on Gender Based Violence (GBV). Both embassies are working collaboratively and with similar goals to help develop effective local government response to GBV cases. To date, they are working successfully to develop one-stop crisis management centers, safe houses for short-term protection, and shelters for longer-term well-being.  Both expressed a need to incorporate police into the process more effectively. ICITAP will coordinate closely with them in the future to assist with the Police component where appropriate. The DIFID team consisted of two DIFID contractors, who are assisting on the development of a new seven-year program for the police. The discussion with DOJ centered around finding synergies with the existing work at the Nepal Police academy and identifying areas in Provincial Police Development where we can work together.  Both DIFID and DOJ agree that Provincial Police Development has the potential to change policing in Nepal, and we are very aligned a strategic vision that includes Civilian Oversight Commissions and Police Standards Commissions. The regular meetings will continue with ICITAP as their program becomes more structured.