On 18 April 2017, UNAMID’s Rule of Law Section, in collaboration with the Government of Sudan (GoS) Prisons Administration, concluded a two- week training on Prisons Management, Human Rights and Operations for 30 GoS officers at Ardamata prison, West Darfur. The objective of the workshop was to enhance participating officers’ knowledge on human rights standards and prison duties.

At the closing ceremony, Oumar Kane, Head of Office, UNAMID Sector West, stated that such training and capacity-building initiatives are essential in the planning and reform of prisons. Mr. Kane reiterated the Mission’s commitment to continue supporting relevant training programme to enhance the UNAMID’s rapport with its Government counterparts. “I encourage participants to utilize what they have learned and apply it on the ground, not only to convey the message of prisons reform, but also to enhance the inmates’ capacity to achieve the ultimate goal of rehabilitation, reformation and re-integration into society as self-supporting and law-abiding citizens of Darfur,” said Mr. Kane.

Col. Badereldin Dafallah, Director, Prisons and Reform Department, West Darfur, on his part, commended UNAMID for its sustained efforts to enhance staff’s knowledge on the treatment of inmates in accordance with established human rights and rule of law principles. Additionally, he requested the Mission to conduct similar training courses in the future, in order to build the capacity of remaining prisons staff in West Darfur.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, Adam Adam, a prisons officer, claimed that the training will help prisons officers to perform their duties and apply the human rights principles in accordance with international regulations and laws.

Similar trainings were conducted by UNAMID for some 100 prisons officers in Nyala, South Darfur and El Fasher, North Darfur.