What is the situation of female prisoners in Afghanistan? How can the government of Afghanistan and the international community promote their social reintegration? This report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime assesses the situation of women prisoners in Afghanistan. It argues that promoting female prisoners’ social reintegration requires a comprehensive policy for women throughout their involvement with the criminal justice system.
The majority of Afghanistan’s female prisoners have been imprisoned for ‘moral crimes’, while a considerable number of others may have been unfairly convicted. The aim should therefore be to prevent unfair and unnecessary imprisonment of women, by providing support, protection and legal assistance for victims of violence. A policy for the social reintegration of women prisoners during their imprisonment and post-release should complement these measures. It should provide support based upon prisoners’ individual needs and prepare prisoners for release from the moment of admission.
Afghanistan’s prison system faces a number of challenges in relation to women prisoners, including:
- the need to reform management structures, focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment and develop a gender-sensitive style taking account of women’s specific social reintegration needs
- inadequate training and low salaries and a lack of specialist staff such as social workers, teachers or psychologists
- poor conditions and a lack of adequate protection from re-victimisation
- the absence of treatment based on individual needs and that activities are provided only by NGOs and not the Afghan government
- the limited facilities, education and activities provided for children in prison with their mothers and the lack of specialist care for children and pregnant women
- the lack of programmes to prepare prisoners for release and post-release support.
The situation of female prisoners in Afghanistan also presents a number of opportunities. The establishment of a department responsible for women prisoners will promote gender-sensitive policies, while construction of a new women’s prison will resolve some key challenges. The range of NGOs providing support services to female prisoners provides a good opportunity to establish lasting cooperation between civil society and prison authorities. Relatively high literacy and skill levels among female prisoners can strengthen peer group networking, training and support. Recommendations to improve the social reintegration of female prisoners include the following:
- Establish coordination between international agencies to assist capacity-building in government with regard to female prisoners. Include the Deputy Commissioner for Women Offenders on the Supreme Council of Prisons.
- Prohibit entry of male staff into female sections of prisons unless accompanied by female staff and establish mechanisms to protect women in detention.
- Undertake assessment of each prisoner’s individual needs and formulate an individual programme for them.
- Establish cooperation mechanisms to provide educational programmes to prisoners, develop a policy to introduce prison workshops and expand vocational training.
- Establish transitional houses for released women prisoners in need of protection and develop mechanisms to coordinate efforts to meet post-release support requirements.
- Revise legislation to postpone imprisonment of pregnant women or women with small children and establish nurseries within and outside of prisons to accommodate children. Ensure pregnant women prisoners receive specialist care.
