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Spotlight:
Prisons and criminal justice systems in fragile and conflict-affected settings
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In fragile and conflict-affected settings, the various aspects of criminal justice systems – from law enforcement and prosecution, to courts and the prison system – collapse alongside other core government functions. One vital aspect in re-establishing a justice system that is often overlooked is the prison system.
This new briefing by PRI aims to support the international community and national authorities to improve responses in fragile and conflict-affected settings, through an increased focus on the role of penitentiary institutions in peacebuilding. It includes 10 recommendations for restoring peace and the rule of law, with case studies on Yemen and the Central African Republic.
Download the briefing now in English and French. Arabic coming soon.
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Covid-19 in prisons: the need to prioritise staff and prison populations for vaccination
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In this blog, experts from the University of Oxford examine the evidence for prioritising prison populations and staff in national vaccination programmes and call for distribution of vaccines to be guided by evidence and based on harm reduction principles. The authors consider current approaches in some countries, including challenges to early inclusion of prisons.
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Period poverty in prisons: ensuring menstrual hygiene and dignity in India
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In this expert blog, Anju Anna John considers menstrual hygiene provision for women in prison and interventions by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and Boondh in India to assess needs, raise awareness of women’s rights and best practices around menstrual hygiene, and improve access to sanitary products in places of detention. This is the third blog in PRI’s latest series marking ten years of the UN Bangkok Rules.
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Punitive drug laws: 10 years undermining the UN Bangkok Rules
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Video produced by Dejusticia and partners to accompany the briefing
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The global female prison population is estimated to have increased by about 59% since 2000. Marking the 10-year anniversary of the UN Bangkok Rules, this new briefing paper published by the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), along with PRI and several others, analyses the concrete ways in which punitive drug legislation has fuelled this increase and undermined implementation of the Rules, with clear recommendations on how to translate the commitments set out in the Bangkok Rules into drug policy. |
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PRI begins new project supporting fairer criminal justice for women and children in Northern Uganda
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On 17 February, PRI held the inception meeting for its new project "Promoting sustainable access to justice for socially deprived women and children in Northern Uganda" funded by the European Commission’s Security, Protection, and Economic Empowerment (SUPREME) programe. The programme aims to improve overall safety and economic well-being for refugees and host communities in Northern Uganda; PRI’s project will seek to improve access to legal and rehabilitative support for women and children, strengthen the capacity of formal and informal justice actors to address discrimination and enhance involvement of women and children in crisis prevention, conflict management and peace building initiatives. PRI is implementing this project alongside African Women and Youth Action for Development and Chance for Childhood. In attendance at the inception meeting were representatives of key stakeholder groups to be involved in the project including the police, prison, probation staff, local government, commandants in refugee settlements representatives, judicial officers, prosecutors, civil society and local leaders from all the three target districts in Northern Uganda. |
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Women in prison in Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic
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PRI's Executive Director, Olivia Rope, wrote about the impact of the pandemic and response measures on women in African prisons for a recent newsletter of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which focuses on Human Rights Compliance in Extraordinary Policing Environments. The article is available in the newsletter in English, French, Arabic and Portuguese.
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Simplified Principles for the Decriminalisation of Petty Offences in Africa
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The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has published a simplified version of the Principles on the Decriminalisation of Petty Offences in Africa adopted in 2017. The African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum has also produced posters which clearly describe the six principles, and are available in English, French and Portuguese. |
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