FIFTY four officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) have attended a capacity-building workshop on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH), aimed at promoting a sexual violence-free and inclusive environment among officers and the communities they serve.

Organised by the Gender Mainstreaming Section of the GIS Southern Sector, with support from the United Nations Population Fund, the workshop is expected to be replicated for officers in the Northern Zone.

Its goal is to equip officers with the knowledge to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability.

Speaking at the opening ceremony yesterday in Accra, the Head of Quota Gender and Focal Person at the GIS Headquarters, Mrs Schloastica Esauh, said as law enforcement and security institution, personnel must uphold “both moral and professional responsibilities.”

She emphasised that incidents of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment, whether within or outside the service, undermined public trust, harm victims, and operational credibility, therefore, commitment to preventing and responding to GBV and SEAH should be proactive, comprehensive, and sustainable.

“This training manual, which we have gathered here to build capacity on, will serve as a practical tool to guide officers in understanding, identifying, and appropriately addressing GBV-related issues in the line of duty.

“It will also be integrated into the training curriculum of the Ghana Immigration Service Academy and our various training institutions to ensure that every officer, from recruitment to retirement, is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to uphold service standards,” Mrs Esauh indicated.

She said participants would share the knowledge and skills acquired with their colleagues to help empower and expand the sensitisation campaign for officers, to create a safer working environment.

Mrs Esauh further reaffirmed the service commitment to upholding the core values of professionalism, respect and integrity, ensuring that GIS remains a module of ethical conduct, and an entrusted institution in their service to the country.

The Head of Gender Mainstream of the GIS, Chief Superintendent Evelyn Danquah, expressed the hope that the workshop would help officers in dealing with issues of GBV and SEAH in their daily operation, stressing that, this would help officers, especially in the handling of foreigners.

She noted that the service was committed to promoting gender equality and the protection of human rights, adding that the workshop forms part of measures to ensure high professional standards within the service.

The Regional Coordinator for Research and Capacity Building at the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), Dr Festus Kofi Aubyn, called on stakeholders to resource the various security services in order to enhance their knowledge on issues of GBV and SEAH.

“So I think it is important that we have this workshop to educate and train our security services, so that they can carry on to ensure that we have a safe society.

“When you have the opportunity to talk to some immigrants, you also get a sense of feeling of how sometimes they are being exploited when it comes to their dealings with the public,” he stated.