I Health Seminar in the Prison System of the Federal District

 

Brasilia, 24 June 2016 - On 20 June, the Programme Officer of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) - Nara Santos - presented, during the I Health Seminar in the Prison System of the Federal District, her experience on the Project "A Liberdade de Olhar" (  Freedom to Look). Aiming at developing a training and awareness methodology on human rights in the prison system, the project has been organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Justice and the Delegation of the European Union in Brazil.

Imprisoned population and prison officers have collected images reflecting situations of vulnerability in regards the promotion and/or violation of human rights in the context of the deprivation of liberty, the project has promoted discussions on the topic, specially in regards to the the issues relating gender, violence and health. The latter topic has been particularly discussed, mainly for the fact that the imprisoned population is, at the same time, a vulnerable group and also a key group for the treatment of AIDS, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis. 

The workshops of the Project "A Liberdade de Olhar" (  Freedom to Look) were carried out in Rio Grande do Sul (in the Central Prison of Porto Alegre and the  Prison Madre Pelletier), in Goiás (In the prison Coronel Odenir Guimarães e the the Feminine Prison Consuelo Nader) and in the Federal District ( in the Provisional Detention Centre and Feminine Prison f the Federal District - Colméia). 149 persons have participated in these workshops - men, women, prisoners and prison officers on the areas of security, administration, health, education and social support.

The presentation of the project, along with other successful experiences, such as the "Farmácia Viva" (  Live Pharmacy) experience, where the prisoners themselves work on the cultivation of medicinal plants for the distribution among public services, reflects the necessity of covering the debate on the access to health within the Prison System in projects that involve the rehabilitation, education and dignity of its protagonists. The materials shown during the seminar exposed the Prison System from the prisoner's point of view. Therefore, the professionals, specialists and health authorities present at the event had the opportunity to reflect, not only on the condition of being imprisoned itself, but also on health and human rights issues. We hope that the  freedom to look may continue present on the many health seminars to be held in the Prison System in the future.

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