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Spotlight:
Outcomes of the UN Crime Congress
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On 7 - 12 March 2021, the 14th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice was held in Kyoto, Japan and online in a ‘hybrid’ format. The UN ‘Crime Congress’, held every five years since 1955, sets the crime prevention and criminal justice agenda for the next five years in the Declaration adopted at the Congress. In our latest blog, PRI's Executive Director, Olivia Rope reflects on the Kyoto Declaration, setting out five key takeaways including challenges to civil society participation, important omissions and positive notes.
During the UN Crime Congress, PRI joined other organisations in a joint statement on the exclusion of the abolition of the death penalty from the plan of work of the Congress, and jointly called on states to commit to uphold children's rights and ensure children are seen, heard, and fully able to participate in criminal justice policy and practice. PRI also held an ancillary meeting on Global Prison Trends, which is now available on our website, and life imprisonment, and contributed to a range of meetings on key topics including women and the UN Bangkok Rules, mental health in prisons, rehabilitation and more. Read more about our events.
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PRI supports launch of two new initiatives in CAR
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As part of PRI's work to support the demilitarisation of the prison system in Central African Republic (CAR), PRI recently helped to launch a vocational training programme for people detained in two prisons in Bangui. The programme comprises a three-month professional training course conducted by the Technical High School of Bangui for 50 people (40 in Ngaragba prison and 10 in Bimbo prison) in plumbing, carpentry, manufacturing cookers or making sunglasses. The launch (pictured above) was attended by the Director General of Penitentiary Services, the National Manager of Technical Training, and representatives from the Technical High School of Bangui, the prison affairs unit of MINUSCA and PRI.
PRI also supported the launch of a four-month legal aid programme which will also serve 50 people in Ngaragba and Bimbo prisons, to improve access to justice and reduce long prison sentences. The initiative is being implemented by Association des femmes juristes de Centrafrique, a national NGO with expertise in legal aid. |
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Roundtable on penal reform in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
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In early March, PRI visited Tajikistan to take part in a roundtable on the effective implementation of the National Strategy on Penal Reform for 2020-2030. The meeting resulted in an Action Plan to implement the strategy, including work to reform rehabilitation, reintegration and employment of people in prison.
The event was organised by the Main Directorate for the Execution of Criminal Sentences of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Tajikistan with the support of PRI in Central Asia, and attended by representatives of the ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs, international and non-governmental organisations, and national and regional experts. The meeting took place as part of two projects funded by the European Union in Tajikistan and the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) respectively and by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.
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Conference on prison reform held in Khartoum, Sudan
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PRI joined the British Embassy and national partners in Khartoum for a conference to discuss Sudan's priorities for prison reform. During the conference, PRI presented the results of our assessment of Sudan's penitentiary system, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The assessment included an examination of prison conditions, the psychological needs of women in prison, and a comprehensive study of the legislative framework governing prisons, and concluded that there is an urgent need to support the prison system in Sudan in accordance with international human rights standards. The conference and the participation of the Minister of Interior and senior leaders in the prison administration demonstrate that there is political will to address the issues raised by the assessment.
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Extreme sentencing of women
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Punitive sentencing laws and ‘tough on crime’ policies have resulted in more women serving extreme sentences, including life imprisonment, in some countries. This expert blog by Laura Ann Douglas examines what is driving the increase, the impact on the women serving these sentences, and how the Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide is working with partners to advocate for healing-centered justice. |
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Webinar: The impact of global drug policy on women
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On Tuesday 13 April 2021, PRI and five partners will hold an online launch of The Impact of Global Drug Policy on Women: Shifting the Needle (2020) at the 64th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna. Join us to hear from Elizabeth Broderick, Chair of UN Working Group on discrimination against women, and several authors of the book on their experiences and research on the diverse ways in which global drug policies impact on women. |
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Prisons and COVID-19: Lessons from an ongoing crisis
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PRI needs your support
In these difficult times for organisations everywhere, we are doing our best to keep providing you with quality, informative materials on criminal justice systems worldwide and on how they respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Around the world, our dedicated staff are pushing for governmental reforms, providing emergency response, and fighting for the human rights of the millions of people in places of detention worldwide. We hope that you find our regular updates informative and interesting, and we are thankful for our ever growing audience. We are proud to be part of a fast-thinking, engaged community. Please support our hard work even further by making a donation today.
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