UNDP and the British Embassy organized a Joint Assessment of Public Administration and Security Sector Relations seminar with the Turkish Ministry of Interior Board of Inspectors, on 22-23 February 2006, in Ankara.

The Seminar provided an opportunity for high ranking public administrators and over 120 inspectors to examine and benefit from the global experience in democratizing public administration and security sector relations.

The UNDP Advisor Prof. Andrew Goldsmith presented the assessment carried out by the UNDP through 2005 on public administration security sector relations followed by a set of recommendations that Turkey’s reformers may refer to in their efforts.

The Seminar also included experts from the UK and Turkey. Ibrahim Cerrah and Zuhtu Eraslan, Bedri Eryilmaz and Prof. Omer Peker provided detailed analysis of policing functions and how they can be improved for promotion and protection of rights.

The Seminar is within the context of UNDP’s Democratic Governance Trust Fund (2005) project with the Ministry of Interior in Civilian Oversight of the Security Sector.

The Board of Inspectors of the Ministry of Interior in Turkey is a lead partner in democratic governance and human rights. The UNDP supports also a human rights training program with this institution in cooperation with the Danish Institute of Human Rights.

For more information: http://www.undp.org.tr/CivilianOversight.asp