Promoting Safety and Inclusion on the High Seas

Port Victoria, Seychelles 30 June 2024 – The Republic of Seychelles serves as United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Global Maritime Crime Programme’s (UNODC GMCP) regional training hub for the Western Indian Ocean. Maritime law enforcement (MLE) personnel convened with counterparts from across the region in Port Victoria to receive advanced and specialized MLE training with UNODC international experts. 

Eight officers from the Seychelles Marine Police Unit, Seychelles Defence Forces, Tanzania Marine Police and Kenya Coast Guard Service completed the Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) train-the-trainer Instructor Course under the mentorship and guidance of UNODC GMCP instructors on the delivery of VBSS content, presentation skills, the development of theory lessons, best practices for demonstrations and procedures, and trainee safety.  With the successful completion of the course, the national trainers were certified to support UNODC GMCP instructors in delivering training in their home countries or at the regional level as a further step toward eventually delivering training independently. 

Corporal Isabel Robert, who has been with the Seychelles Marine Police Unit for nine years and has served as a training officer for the last five years shared, "I am honoured to serve as a national instructor in my country. I have grown significantly as an officer over the past three years with the UNODC programme. This experience has honed my leadership skills. It has deepened my understanding of the maritime domain, enhanced my career, and positively influenced my approach to training officers." 

She also highlighted:

"With the knowledge gained, I now train officers in my unit, and being a female instructor, I wanted to be a powerful example and role model for other young women who want to develop a career in the maritime field." 

Corporal Robert's role as a female instructor within her unit underscores the importance of diversity and how this inspires other female officers to pursue leadership roles. The knowledge and skills gained from the UNODC courses supported her role as the boarding officer leading an operation that seized over 900 kilos of drugs alongside junior officers she had in-turn trained.  

Such efforts align with the UN's SDG 5 on gender equality by promoting women's participation in MLE. Inclusion of women in these courses enriches the training environment with perspectives often overlooked in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

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Edited extract from the article "Western Indian Ocean: Sustainable Capacity Building & Women in Law Enforcement" first published on UNODC Eastern Africa website, read here.