Impact of Gender-Based Violence on Health among People in Prisons and other Closed Settings

14 May 2024 - On the margins of the 33rd Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), the UNODC HIV/AIDS Section organized a side event to discuss the impact of gender-based violence (GBV) on health among people in prisons and other closed settings. This event was co-sponsored by Penal Reform International, the UNODC Justice Section, and the Permanent Missions of the Group of Friends on HIV Prevention Among People Who Use Drugs and People in Prison Settings.

Mr. Justice Tettey, Chief of the Drugs, Laboratory, and Scientific Services Branch (UNODC), followed by Mr. César A. V. Bonamigo, Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil on behalf of the Group of Friends, provided opening remarks, emphasizing the critical need to address the intersecting issues of GBV and health within prisons and other closed settings.

The first speaker, Prof. Marie Claire Van Hout, presented key components of the forthcoming UNODC technical brief on addressing the impact of GBV on health among people in prisons along with the key interventions. Prof. Van Hout also noted that marginalized groups, including Indigenous people, individuals who use drugs, sex workers, and LGBTQ+ persons, are disproportionately affected by both imprisonment and GBV. Overcrowding and limited resources, including hygiene products, food, water, and healthcare, exacerbate tensions and violence within prisons.

Mr. Vitchavud Suppipat from the Department of Corrections in Thailand shared some practices from his country. He discussed measures to ensure the safety of LGBTQ+ individuals in prison, such as separate accommodations during night-time and relocation when necessary. He also emphasized the importance of reporting incidents of sexual assault, filing complaints, and investing in sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention through the distribution of condoms, lubricants, and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).

The final speaker, Ms. Olivia Rope, Executive Director of Penal Reform International, underscored the reduced access to healthcare for women and people of diverse gender identities in prison. She highlighted the systemic disparity in healthcare accessibility between genders, attributing it to the lack of gender mainstreaming in policies, training, complaint processes, and healthcare services within the criminal justice system. Ms. Rope emphasized that the health impacts of GBV are both physical and mental, particularly in the absence of adequate medical care.

The side event provided a crucial platform to address the urgent need for comprehensive strategies and actions to mitigate the health impacts of GBV among people in prisons and other closed settings.

United Nations

Office on Drugs and Crime

Impact of Gender-Based Violence on Health among People in Prisons and other Closed Settings