A House with Two Rooms - The Advocates for Human Rights

• The Government of Liberia should ensure that extensive training in humanitarian law and
human rights principles and practices is a fully integrated component of basic and recurring
training for Armed Forces of Liberia members at all levels. Specifically, training on the rights
of women should be a priority.
• Recruitment of women into the Armed Forces of Liberia should be a government priority as
part of an overall plan to increase opportunities and eliminate discrimination against women
in Liberia.
Security Sector: Liberian National Police
Liberian National Police were victims of human rights violations during the conflict, often because
of their affiliation with the government, but they were also perpetrators of human rights abuses.
The national police force must be reformed to ensure the trust of Liberian citizens and effective
implementation of the rule of law. Much work in this area has already been carried out in coordination
with the United Nations Mission in Liberia. The U.N. Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials
and The Robben Island Guidelines provide a guiding framework with regard to police conduct. The
Advocates recommends the following:
• The Government of Liberia, the U.N. Mission in Liberia, and the Liberian National Police
should continue to work together to ensure that all Liberian law enforcement officials are
trained and can effectively:
o respect and protect human dignity and maintain and uphold the human rights of
all persons, 221 specifically the rights of traditionally marginalized groups, including
women and ethnic and religious minorities;
o use force only when strictly necessary and to the extent required for the performance
of their duty; 222
o refrain from inflicting, instigating, or tolerating any act of torture or other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; 223
o keep matters of a confidential nature in the possession of law enforcement officials
fully confidential, unless the performance of duty or the needs of justice require
otherwise; 224
o ensure the full protection of the health of persons in their custody and, in particular,
take immediate action to secure medical attention whenever required; and 225
o oppose and combat corruption both within the police and in the society at large 226
• The Government of Liberia should work closely with civil society to ensure effective civilian
oversight of the police and to ensure the availability of procedures for Liberians to make
complaints about police misconduct to an independent investigatory body. 227
• The international community and the Government of Liberia should provide ongoing
support to the Liberian National Police in the areas it has identified as critical challenges,
including training, infrastructure development, logistics, and information technology. 228
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Chapter Fourteen