On 21 - 23 January, the EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 10) organised a Training of trainers (ToT) in Almaty, designed to strengthen the capacity of female professors from the training institutions of the Ministry of Interior of Kazakhstan in providing psychological support and developing emotional intelligence. 

The primary objective of the training was to empower professors from the Karaganda and Almaty Academies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to enhance their teaching methodologies and better prepare future female investigators to work with vulnerable groups, particularly women and minors in border regions. During the training, BOMCA 10 experts introduced participants to the theory and practical application of emotional intelligence, as well as provided tools and techniques for psychological first aid. These newly developed skills aim to improve participants’ ability to support victims and prepare future investigators to effectively address gender-based violence in their work. As a result of the ToT, participants are now equipped to share their knowledge and expertise by conducting further training sessions within their institutions. This initiative creates a sustainable framework for improving the competencies of investigators and ensuring long-term progress in addressing gender-based violence in border regions.

Three-day training was organised as part of BOMCA 10’s Component 4, “Improvement of Cross-Border Cooperation”, which aims to enhance living conditions in border areas through a focus on human rights, gender equality and support for vulnerable populations.