MILE 2 PRISON WARDENS TRAINED ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF CONVICTED FEMALE PRISONERS

By: Staff Writer Abubacarr Saidykhan, Banjul

The African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies in Collaboration with the   Gender Action  Team, the Gambia Police Force through the auspices of the Child Welfare Unit at the Police Headquarters in Banjul, has recently completed a two day consultative and interactive training Program for Prisons officers in relations to the rights of convicted female prisoners.

The training program which was held at the Headquarters of the (ACDHRS) in Kololi, was meant to equip the prison wardens on how to give the female inmates the opportunity for their voice to be heard and as well as giving a due consideration to the recently enacted Women’s Act signed by the President in May 2010.

The prison officers, who were given series of test cases during the proceedings of the training, have recommended numerous concerns that are be taken care of by the Minister of Interior for both female and male prisoners at the mile II Central Prisons. It was reported during the training, that the prisons yard are always meant for rehabilitation, reformation and reintegration for all persons currently residing there.

During the closing ceremony, the current Executive Director of the African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies Hanna Forster first of all asked for the reason of the importance of giving much attention to women in prison? She said in an attempt to answer the question, that the Gambia as in most Countries, one will come to find out that women form the minority of prison population. She said in some communities the percentage between 2% to 8% but is not sure about the Gambian situation. She said most of the prisons are meant for the male population adding that from the architecture, the security procedures, the facilities for health care, to contacts, to work, and even to training, gives one the conclusion that prison tend not to meet the need of female prisoners.

She said women in prison are affected by prison in a more harsh way indicating that one would to find out that their basic human rights are basically abused and systematically in most cases. The Executive Director said it is always important to look out for them noting that in recent years they have seen the increase of women population in prison. “This is because some of the crimes that are non custodial sentences that are used be observed before, now women tend to be taken to prison instead of looking at alternative ways of punishing them. She said we need to look at ways how this can be changed and reviewed indicating that in the days of old, there were alternatives base approaches. She asked as to what difference would take them to prison make in their lives?

She added that women offending and costing them for imprisonment is closely linked with women’s poverty and their vulnerability to pay fines or even to pay bail conditions. She said some of them don’t have and that most of the crimes committed are petty things that result them in prisons. She said most of these women’s have low level of education and are having dependent children.

At this juncture, the Executive Director of the African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies cited the previous criminal trial of the seven Journalists in 2009 but specifically to Sarata Jabbi Dibba with her nursing baby. She said women’s prisoners have different needs from men noting that they are vulnerable to violations and abuse in prisons and that they have different health needs including sexual and reproductive health adding that they may even get pregnant and gave birth in prison. She said moreover, they suffer a very much higher rate of mental illness. “It is important that you get them occupied in the prison. We should not also forget that there groups with special needs like the female Juvenile Prisoners, women’s with disability in prison, women’s who are foreign nationals, not forgetting the indigenous and other minority women.”

She finally dilated on the women’s act that deals with the Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women as well as the protocol on the rights of women in Africa for the law enforcement officers. She concluded by saying that there are two basic principles that prisons officers should pay particular attention to which is the principle of Human Dignity (Being a prisoner does not mean that you loose your dignity) and the principle of Non Discrimination between male and female prisoners.

The other scores of speakers include Superintendent Buba Corr Jatta a prison officer, ASP Ansumana Kinteh Officer Commanding Human Resources Police Headquarters Banjul, Detective Inspector and Station officer Child Welfare Unit of (GPF), Lloyd London Child Protection Consultant and Fallu Sowe Department of State for Social Welfare who have all reiterated the same sentiments.