History of the Rules:
The origin of the rules dates back to the year 1955 when – following the atrocities of two World Wars – the Member States of the United Nations decided to formulate and adopt internationally acknowledged minimum conditions for the treatment of prisoners. In 2015, following a revision process of more than 5 years, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and named them in honour of the late president of South Africa “The Nelson Mandela Rules”. READ MORE
Content of the Rules:
The 122 provisions of the Nelson Mandela Rules represent the universally acknowledged blueprint for prison management in the 21st century. They outline minimum prison conditions, provide guidance, and set clear benchmarks for prison staff on how to uphold safety, security and human dignity. READ MORE
UNODC offers a free, self-paced, interactive and certified e-Learning course on the Nelson Mandela Rules.
UNODC provides technical assistance and advisory services to Member States and promotes the Rules with international partners around the world.
READ MORE
More than 30 Member States of the UN have joined the Vienna-based Group of Friends of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
Model Prison Act and Related Commentary based on the Nelson Mandela Rules AR EN ES FR RU NEW!
UNODC, Ghana Prisons Service and US Embassy launch new prison reform project
NMRs will be included in German Prison Staff Training
COVID-19 Guidance Note: Emergency Releases of Prisoners EN, FR, ES NEW!
COVID-19 Guidance Note: Infection Prevention and Control Measures in Prisons EN, FR, ES NEW!
COVID-19 preparedness and responses in prisons - position paper
(PDF; 31 March 2020) - AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH
Ensuring Access to Justice in the Context of COVID-19
(PDF; 20 May 2020) Guidance Note
COVID-19 Prevention and Control among People Living in Prison
(PDF; 6 April 2020)
COVID-19 Prevention and Control among People Working in Prison
(PDF; 6 April 2020)
United Nations guidance documents related to incarceration:
UNODC Criminal Justice Handbook Series (prison reform):
UNODC Guidance Notes and information material: