|
|
|
|
Global Group of Experts by Experience is LIVE
|
|
Over the past 12 months, PRI has worked diligently on setting up a Global Group of Experts by Experience. The Group is composed of people with lived experience of the criminal justice system (currently there are 7 members of all genders from Europe, Africa, Asia and North America). The first milestone has recently been reached: co-creating the Charter stipulating the ground rules of the Group. The goal is to support PRI in its efforts to reform and humanise criminal justice systems worldwide by adding the valuable voice and contribution of people who have experienced the system from within. We are supported by the Group in many ways: they have provided input regarding our new strategy to be launched mid-2024 and have helped design a new initiative in Armenia. The group is very motivated to help in many ways, so please reach out to us in case you have a question or assignment and like to consult with our Group.
|
|
|
|
Watch the recording of the event
|
|
At the 68th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, experts highlighted the concerning links between poverty and the criminalisation of women, emphasising the need for urgent reform to address. Key takeaways include the interplay between gender, poverty, and imprisonment, the disproportionate burden of criminal justice systems on poor women, the importance of intersectional analysis for effective reform, promising practices for non-custodial sentences, and a global call for action to decriminalise poverty and advocate for gender-sensitive and people-centred justice systems.
|
|
|
|
A multifaceted approach to combat torture in Kazakhstan
|
|
Together with NGO partners, the Taldykorgan Human Rights Centre and the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, PRI is launching a new EU-funded initiative called 'Breaking the Cycle: A Multifaceted Approach to Combat Torture' in Kazakhstan. Focused on preventing and addressing torture, the project aims to enhance investigation processes, improve prevention mechanisms, and suggest methods for survivor rehabilitation and compensation. Additionally, it will raise awareness among national and international stakeholders to support anti-torture measures.
|
|
Uniting people with lived experiences and authorities in Armenia's criminal justice reform
|
|
Under a new initiative, funded by the Knowledge Management Fund, PRI brought together a group of people with lived experience of the Armenian criminal justice system together with the country’s criminal justice stakeholders to discuss ongoing reform efforts and their practical implications. The event in Yerevan gathered more than 35 participants, including public officers from the relevant bodies of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health, the National Preventive Mechanism, and representatives of various NGOs. It enabled these stakeholders, who are influencing or leading reform efforts to hear the stories and opinions of people who have experienced the justice system firsthand. Participants discussed the current situation, challenges, and potential solutions to prison probation services, especially regarding access to health care, daily activities, communication with the outside world, education and job opportunities, rehabilitation, and preparation for release.
|
|
Supporting child-friendly probation systems in Indonesia
|
|
Over the past year PRI has been working with partners, the International Legal Foundation (ILF) and the Indonesian Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR), with the support of UNICEF, to provide support efforts by the Indonesian government to protect and strengthen the rights of children in conflict with the law. As part of this, we developed a new assessment tool and an accompanying guidance manual to clarify the roles, responsibilities and guide Probation Officers when working with children at different stages of the justice process, ensuring the voices of children with lived experience were central to our approach. In early March, the project culminated in a workshop in Jakarta for 20 participants from the Directorate General of Corrections based on the new tools to strengthen the role of PKs in the justice system for children in Indonesia.
|
|
Growth - an emerging new philosophy, to transform culture in detention
|
|
To reduce the dehumanising feeling commonly felt among people in prison, the Growth Project focuses on celebrating success, learning from mistakes with a growth mindset and working together to create sustainable solutions and cultivate meaningful spaces both for staff and people in prison. With personal development as its focus, the Growth Project aims to find and create new insights into people’s lives and give them purpose.
Written by
Sarah Lewis and
Makayla Agyemang
|
|
Strengthening Human Rights Partnerships: Kuwait's National Diwan Visits Jordan
|
|
PRI hosted a delegation from Kuwait's National Diwan for Human Rights at its regional programme office for Middle East North Africa, in Amman, Jordan (in February 2024). This visit, led by Counsellor Huda Al-Shaiji, paved the way for PRI to collaborate with the country's National Human Rights Institute.
|
|
|
|
A new project promoting human rights in Türkiye's prisons
|
|
|
Penal Reform International and the Civil Society in the Penal System Association have launched an ambitious EU-funded project aimed at enhancing human rights in the Turkish penitentiary system. This four-year initiative will focus on legal support for prisoners, capacity building in the penitentiary system, and the promotion of penal reform through collaboration with civil society and justice stakeholders. The project seeks to reach prisoners across Türkiye, including vulnerable groups and those in remote areas, to foster a more human rights-based approach to criminal justice.
|
|
PRI at the UN Commission on Narcotics Drug
|
|
During the 67th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, PRI contributed to deliberations on harm reduction services in prisons and the overreliance on prison sentences for drug-related offences.
At the side-event, Challenges and Opportunities of Opioid Agonist Treatment in Prison Settings saw reflections on the hurdles in accessing options for evidence-based therapy for drug dependence in prisons amid the challenging landscape shaped by punitive measures, adversely affecting people who use drugs by restricting their access to vital harm reduction services, such as OAT and needle and syringe exchange programs. Speakers highlighted that peer support, both within prisons and in the broader community, offers a unique form of solidarity, understanding, and empowerment for individuals navigating the challenges of drug dependence, especially in the prison context. Addressing the challenges requires a paradigm shift – one that is human rights-based, gender-sensitive, and people-centred.
Also, in a historical move, member states resorted to voting on resolutions ‘for the first time in modern history, and finally included the words “harm reduction”.
|
|
Evaluating Stakeholder Engagement in CAR's Penitentiary Reform
|
|
The Ministry of Justice in Central African Republic (CAR) has launched a strategic communication campaign. This initiative aims to assess its effectiveness within the corrections system, highlighting key achievements, strengths, and weaknesses of the involved stakeholders, and their level of involvement in addressing future challenges. With the backing of PRI, MINUSCA , and Platform of civil society organisations PARS-RCA, this campaign kicked off on March 7 and will run until 6 April 2024, contributing towards sustainable reform in the penitentiary sector.
|
|
Press release
Partnership to promote human rights and Reform Criminal Justice Systems in Qatar
|
|
On 6 February 2024, in Doha, Qatar, the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) of the State of Qatar and PRI made a significant step towards improving and safeguarding human rights in the criminal justice system by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This strategic partnership aims to foster a collaborative effort towards criminal justice reform, reflecting a shared commitment to upholding human rights standards globally.
|
|
Bridging justice and gender
|
|
|
|
Image from the https://www.nap1325.nl/ website
|
|
PRI has proudly become a signatory to the Dutch National Action Plan (NAP) 1325, joining a collaborative effort with governments and over 70 organisations focused on enhancing women's and girls' roles in peace and security. PRI's engagement with the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda involves advocating for gender-sensitive criminal justice reform, combating sexual and gender-based violence, promoting women's participation in the criminal justice sector, especially in conflict settings, and conducting research to inform advocacy. These efforts align with the WPS focus on enhancing justice, security, and equality for women, embodying a shared commitment to creating equitable and effective systems through international cooperation and mutual learning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
