Groups advocate gender-inclusive reforms at Correctional Service

By Chigozie Uzosike…

The need to advocate for gender-responsive reforms in correctional facilities that uphold women’s rights, strengthen family, community peace, and advance Nigeria’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) commitments has been stressed as committee members of Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) paid advocacy visit to the Comptroller of Correctional Service, Imo State on Monday in Owerri.

Speaking on behalf of the two committees, Mrs. Nnennaya Eneremadu harped on the need to protect women’s rights and dignity, gender-responsive treatment and safety for women in detention.

She said, “Access to health, psychosocial, and rehabilitation services. Getting female officers to be part of decision making in the Service, reduce undue detention and quick dispensation of justice and ensuring 35% affirmative action in employment will go a long way in closing the gaps”.

She said there’s need to embed WPS principles in justice and security institutions, position correctional facilities as partners in peace and equality, recognize family impact of male incarceration and acknowledging the burdens on women and girls when fathers, sons, or brothers are detained.

“Promotion of family-centered rehabilitation in strengthening community peace, ensuring that there’s women’s inclusion in decision-making, increase women’s leadership roles and representation in service, expand women’s participation in decision making will ensure a healthy job space”.

“The provision of gender-sensitive WASH and sanitary provisions, standard washroom facilities for women detainees, providing access to sanitary pads and hygiene materials is part of our advocacy demand.

Eneremadu urged the Correctional Service to commit to gender-sensitive reforms in correctional practices, establish a joint working group with civil society committees, align policies with Nigeria’s obligations under the WPS framework and 35% affirmative action policy while upholding dignity, strengthening of justice delivery, and contribution to sustainable peace in Imo State and beyond.

The Controller of Correctional Service Imo State command, Michael Okechukwu Okorie noted that the Service is carrying women along in decision making. “We are gender sensitive. We appreciate and reward capabilities irrespective of the sex. We take extra care of women, disabled persons and foreign nationals. He urged good-spirited individuals to support the inmates by making kind donations and insisted government cannot do it alone. He committed to working with WPS and ACJL committees for better partnership in supporting and advocating issues concerning women in uniforms.

In another development, Mr. Udochukwu Chukwu led Imo ACJL-SLWG, the WPS SMIMC and the Chairperson of the Legal Aid committee of SLWG who is also the state coordinator, Legal Aid Nigeria on a joint strategic engagements for the identification and interview of indigent inmates.

According to Chukwu, the focus of the advocacy visit was the Comptroller’s dedication to collaborating with organizations to promote gender inclusion. “During the visit to the prison, the team conducted interviews with six male indigent inmates whose cases qualified for legal assistance. The group assured the six inmates that they would begin the process of providing legal aid immediately”.