18 August 2009 -- UNAMID Human Rights and Rule of Law organized a four-day training course on 10 August, for prison officials working in North Darfur state on ‘human rights standards and prison management’. The course was part of UNAMID efforts to provide and strengthen the Government of Sudan prisons system as well as to build the capacity of local actors to protect and promote human rights. The course was funded by the Government of Switzerland through the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The training benefited from the expertise of facilitators drawn from UNAMID Rule of Law, Child Protection, Gender and Human Rights Sections.

The training, being the first of its kind in North Darfur, was aimed at creating awareness, empowering and developing the capacity of prison staff in human rights and prison management. A total of 30 participants from different localities of North Darfur attended, with female prison staff representing a third of participants.

The main issues discussed were the humane treatment of prisoners, in particular special categories such as female prisoners, pre-trial detainees, minors, inter alia and prison management including complaints, discipline and security systems were also debated at large. Participants concluded that the respect for human rights within prisons not only reinforces the rule of law, but is also a pivotal factor in maintaining security and order within prisons. International and national human rights standards in the context of treatment of prisoners and prison management were also among the issues discussed during the workshop.

The workshop, concluded with recommendations from Human Rights, Rule of Law as well as the North Darfur Director of Prisons that Human rights should be mainstreamed in all prison management activities; more trainings activities for prison staff, including medical staff, should be conducted; sspecial attention should be given to rehabilitation/educational programmes and the provision of equipment for technical, agricultural and handcraft work for prisoners; authorities should give priority to renovating physical structures of prisons as well as increasing their assets, in particular in terms of transports (e.g. ambulances). In doing so priority should be given to the juvenile reformatory; and partnerships and information exchange with UNAMID and other international bodies should be strengthened, in particular relating to human rights standards relating to prisons.

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