A RDFL seminar in Jounieh on human rights in women prisons

Within the framework of the project entitled “Strengthening human rights policies and practices in prisons for women in Lebanon”, implemented in collaboration with Diakonia, Dar el Amal and Caritas-Lebanon Migrants Centre, the Rassemblement Democratique des Femmes Libanaises )RDFL(, organised last week a seminar at the municipality in Jounieh on the reform of policies and practices related to human rights within women’s prisons in Lebanon and so as to reach gender equality in family laws, penal code and social security.
The coordinator of the project, Manar Zeiater, presented during her intervention at the seminar, an overview of the situation of women as well as the issues faced within women’s prisons.  She highlighted the main recommendations regarding the needed reforms of laws and policies and which emerged as a result of the studies and reports prepared by the project partners, namely the need to take into consideration the specific health needs of women in prisons, their right to comprehensive medical checkups upon entering the prison, to reproductive, sexual and preventive health care as well as providing special needs for women namely safe nutrition in adequate quantities with due attention to pregnant and lactating mothers and women with special needs, in addition to giving due consideration to women’s personal hygiene.  Zeiater also outlined the various ways to boost women’s participation in campaign to protect them from violence and to improving conditions in prisons so that prisons meet international standards of human rights and also clarified the various mechanisms to secure the rights of women prisoners and to respecting the rights of detainees.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 27 October 2013