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The specialised training programme for staff at Malang women's prison: the Bangkok Rules approach



Jakarta (Indonesia), 26 November 2020
- Women prisoners have specific challenges that need to be addressed in a particular way, specifically through the inclusion of the gender dimensions for their treatment. Upon this consideration, the United Nations Office on Drug and Crims (UNODC) and the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ) have completed a specialised training programme for staff at Malang Women's Prison. The training aimed to build the staff's capacity in their implementation of "The United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders" (Bangkok Rules) and "United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Mandela Rules). The training programme is tailored based on the need assessment conducted earlier this year through UNODC and TIJ's joint scoping mission to Malang Prison.

The training was delivered from 10 to 26 November 2020 through an online platform. It is divided into three main groups: security, reintegration and rehabilitation, and health, which are the three most important aspects in the management of prison and provision of services to women inmates. The training involved 19 speakers and experts from 8 countries, including UNODC staff, TIJ trainers, guest speakers from the Directorate General of Corrections (DGC), the Second Chance Foundation, experts and researchers involved in the knowledge building of Bangkok Rules.



In addition to developing knowledge of Bangkok Rules and Mandela Rules approach in prison management. The training also built the skills of staff in problem-solving in a spirit of gender-sensitive prison management. The staffers were trained to identify problems related to security, reintegration and rehabilitation, and health in Malang Prison by developing action plans. These action plans were presented at the end of the programme. The action plans presented showcased innovative solutions to women prisoners' specific needs while also respecting Bangkok Rules and Mandela Rules.

Mr. Dodot Adikoeswanto, Director of IT and International Cooperation at the DGC; Ms. Lilik Soelistyowati, Warden ad interim of Malang Women Prison; Ms. Chontit Cheuneurah, Director of TIJ; and Mr. Collie F. Brown, UNODC Country Manager, and Liaison to ASEAN closed the training programme on 26 November 2020. Among other things, the training programme was seen as an innovative capacity-building approach for staff and the implementation of Bangkok Rules in the Indonesian prison system. It was hoped that the action plans produced by staff during the training would be implemented. Further, the Malang prison training programme could be a good practice that can be replicated in other women's prisons in Indonesia.

In the end, Mr. Brown emphasised that building good prison management will, as a result, increases the security of the facility. UNODC offered its continuous support and specialities in assisting the DGC's management of prisons in Indonesia.