Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan

The Afghan Government and international community have been working together for well over a decade to build a national police force that can ensure safety and enforce law and order in Afghanistan for all citizens, men and women, young and old, in rural and urban settings.

Since 2001, the Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA) has been funding police salaries, improving police capacity and developing systems within the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MOIA). The Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (hereafter referred to as ‘LOTFA’, the ‘Trust Fund’ or the ‘Fund’) was established by the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2002 and amended in 2008 as a mechanism for the international community to provide financial support to the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MOIA) and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) for the establishment, payment, equipment and training of the Afghan National Police (ANP) and the General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Centers (GDPDC) in Afghanistan.

The Fund was initially set up to cover the establishment/strengthening of the police force; payment of salaries of the police force; recruitment and training activities; rehabilitation of training facilities, dormitories and other relevant buildings; acquisition of non-lethal equipment and supplies; and payment of salaries of uniformed personnel employed by the GDPDC. The number of police has grown over time, and has now reached more than 150,000. The MOI has a 10-year vision and a 5-year strategy, and filled a significant number of senior and mid-level positions with educated professionals.

The task is now for the MOIA to transform the police from a counter-insurgency force into one that focuses on enforcing the rule of law and dealing with crime. Currently, levels of training remain low – literacy rate among police is hardly at 20% and new recruits join the force after only a few weeks of basic instruction. Once on the job, there are few opportunities for professional development or training.

Allegations of corruption, nepotism and human rights abuses undermine the trust and confidence of the public, and mechanisms to investigate and punish abuses need to be improved.

Female enrolment is limited. Women make up less than 2% of serving officers and they are usually restricted to lower level roles. Those courageous enough to join the force are often denied the chance to work effectively, or face harassment from colleagues in the workplace.