There are three main components of the regional program that have become permanent features:
Networking for Improved Policing in South Asia
The Network for Improved Policing in South Asia (NIPSA) is a forum that brings together like-minded individuals and organizations vested in systemic reform of the police and serves both as a resource base on police reforms issues across the region as well as a forum enabling information exchange among members. The network was started in 2010 following a regional roundtable held in November 2009 on police accountability involving key stakeholders in New Delhi which was jointly organised by CHRI and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. It manifests itself in the form of a website which serves as a centralised hangar for its activities. Click here to view the website: www.nipsa.in. Presently, its core activities include
Daily news monitor: includes daily update of news on, or related to, state of policing and reform initiatives
Quarterly Newsletter: includes articles and analysis from across the region on key issues related to better policing
Update: includes quick, brief and country-specific write-up on latest development relating to better policing
Multimedia: includes interviews with experts and practitioners from across the region
Resource section: includes country wise resources on policing ranging from legislations, commission reports, civil society reports, case law and jurisprudence, legal analysis and critiques
Biennial publication on South Asian policing – Feudal Forces
In 2007, CHRI published its first regional report on the status of police reforms in the region titled Feudal Forces: Democratic Nations which highlighted the challenges and resistance confronting reforms in the region. The central idea of the report was to critically review the nature of reform against international standards and principles of democratic policing and recommend ways of strengthening the initiatives. The report has since become a regular feature of the programme, profiling reform initiatives, pace and quality of change introduced and main obstacles faced in implementation. After 2007, the report was updated in 2008, 2010, and 2012. It has now become a regular feature of the South Asia programme with an updated version published every two years.
South Asia Learning Programme on Police Reforms
As part of the effort to strengthen civil society capacity, CHRI together with the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung has held Learning Programme since 2009. The programme seeks to promote better understanding of police reform, and how democratic structures can be best used to achieve better accountability and human rights compliance by the police. It brings together people from across the region working on or vested in systemic reform of the police including legal professionals, paralegals, members of independent oversight bodies, and civil society/human rights organizations. The first such programme was held in Germany in 2009 where the participants were introduced to the policing and accountability mechanisms of the country. Thereafter, the programme has been held in New Delhi where meetings are held with various stakeholders working to achieve police accountability such as the National Human Rights Commission and advocates. The central idea is to expose professionals to the police reforms efforts and programme in India with a view to further the learning of professionals engaged in the field.
Regional Study on Women in Policing in South Asia
CHRI has published a seminal report on Women in Policing in South Asia. This four country study looks at the status of women police in Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Pakistan, the challenges and difficulties they face as women police officers, as well as efforts by police departments to provide for increased and meaningful participation of women.