Forensic Fridays, Ed 48, 21 June 2024

Flashback Friday to September 2022 - DNAforAfrica headed to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to join the UNODC in hosting a forensic DNA workshop that gathered forensic experts from the SADC region. The workshop aimed to strategise on how to better capacitate the Global South in the fight against GBV using forensic DNA evidence. All action items from the event were transcribed into a draft document with the intention of collating these ideas into a handbook to help guide regions in forensic capacity building. The following year, in 2023, at the #3FDNAS held in Cape Town, we sought thought leaders and experts to help us write this handbook based on the framework established in Tanzania. A/Prof. Aaron Amankwaa was elected as the lead in this endeavour, and soon we had a group of experts working on their chapters. The result of this 18-month effort is, I think, remarkable - at?the UNODC ROSAF side event at #CCPCJ33 in Vienna, Austria held in May this year, the finished draft of the Handbook on Forensic Evidence Processing in GBV cases, was presented along with recommendations on how we can effectively step up the fight against GBV in Africa. We are proud to present this free resource to you via the link below, and we hope that even those outside Africa can benefit from the valuable contributions and recommendations.?

This shows us yet again that we do not need to reinvent the wheel; together, we are stronger when we work collectively to advance our region—by, for example, sharing ideas, expertise, and challenges. My hope is that in another year, I can write about some of the successes achieved through following the guidelines and recommendations provided in this handbook—the power of a single idea that, through collaboration, can evolve into something of significant impact.

And more in this week’s edition, you will find links to a register for some exciting new forensic events in Africa, insights into an 'African Forensic Science Vision' that examines five key areas at national and local levels, an article that looks at why we should be establishing more DNA databases in Africa and a link to highlights and stats from our #4FDNAS. Happy Forensic Friday. VL

P.S. #ForensicFridays is taking a break over the summer/winter (depending on your location!) and will resume on July 19th, 2024.

Check out below our line up for this week and click here to read the 41st Edition of #ForensicFridays.

|01 - FORENSIC CAPACITY BUILDING - STEPPING UP THE FIGHT AGAINST GBV IN AFRICA

?|02 - OUR TOP PICKS - UPCOMING DNA EVENTS In Africa & Beyond

?|03 - THE AFRICAN FORENSIC SCIENCE VISION - Achieving consistency in forensic practices

?|04 - ARTICLES OF INTEREST - Establishing forensic DNA databases in Africa?

?|05 - OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO GENDER JUSTICE - ADDRESSING DNA BACKLOGS: Survey

?|06 - SPECIAL EDITION - #4FDNAS