The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), in collaboration with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), on Wednesday launched a series of vocational skills training programmes, entitled ”Training of Trainers,” targeting 16 prison staff and 22 juvenile inmates in North Darfur State.

Mr. Germain Baricako, Head of UNAMID Rule of Law, who spoke at the ceremony at El Fasher Technical School, noted that the six month course for the prisons staff and 45 days for juvenile offenders “is an important step that will ensure sustainability of prisons.”

He stated the Mission’s commitment to working with the Government of the Sudan and other partners to strengthen the prison system in the country in accordance with international standards.

The representative of the Wali of North Darfur, Dr. Tigani Seinin, who is also the Minister of Education, expressed the readiness of the North Darfur State to work with UNAMID to improve the prison administration system in the region.

The Minister said that the vocational skills would enable the inmates to become more useful to the society after serving their various terms.

In a related development, four Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) implemented by UNAMID were inaugurated at Shallah Women’s Prison in El Fasher to enhance the living conditions in the facility.

The projects included an office block, a dormitory, a kitchen, bathrooms/toilets and an underground water tank.

Communications and Public Information Division Media Contacts
Susan Manuel, Deputy Director, manuels@un.org, +249 (0) 922 410274
Chris Cycmanick, Head, Media Relations, cycmanick@un.org, +249 912 538 436
Rania Abdulrahman, Media Relations, abdulrahman30@un.org, mobile: +249 (0)91 250 1966