Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Rule of Law Advisory Section (ROLAS) of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has held a three-day training workshop in Nelson Mandela Rules for the treatment of prisoners, for 40 National Prisons Service of South Sudan (NPSSS) Officers to enhance their capacity in modern correctional science.
The training exercise, from Monday 24th – Wednesday 26th April 2023, was organized to provide technical support to NPSSS Officials of the Lakes State, to enhance their capacity in managing offenders in custody, respecting the rights and dignity of the prisoners, whiles providing treatment to the inmates to reduce the likelihood of reoffending.
The three (3) days training workshop was organized to provide technical support to the NPSSS officials of the Lakes State, to enhance their capacity in managing persons in detention, respecting the rights and dignity of offenders, to ensure effective justice system and promote public confidence in correctional institutions as a key actor of justice delivery.
UNMISS/Corrections Advisor in the Lakes State – Chief Superintendent of Prisons (CSP) Julius Quashie, who was the facilitator, trained 30 males and 10 females.
The main objectives of the three days training exercise were as follows: 1) To provide knowledge on the relevant laws pertaining to the NPSSS, including international human rights laws and best practices in corrections management, as well as issues relating to gender and juvenile protection dimensions, in line with the Nelson Mandela Rules.
Secondly, the course trained to improve the understanding among prison staff in the corrections system, regarding the treatment of prisoners, to avoid torture, inhumane or degrading punishment.
Thirdly, it educated participants to identify the strengths and weaknesses of prison management and operations process in the NPSSS prisons across the Lakes state, and outline ways to improve the approach to correctional science, including thorough adequate action to be taken by the administration and prison staff.
Fourthly, it was to educate participants on security in prison for adherence to sound security arrangements within the walls of the prison, for a safe and secure environment, mindful of static and dynamic security, to ensure that there are no negative incidents in the prison environs.
Fifthly, it helped participants to acknowledge the requirements of an effective prison management and operations process, at each stage or aspect of the detention, having rehabilitation-oriented focus, through vocational trainings and other treatment programs, to reduce the likelihood of the ex-convict reoffending.
Sixthly, it helped officers to improve respect for the human rights of prisoners through enhanced prison management and operations procedures, per the standard of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
Lastly, it was to enlighten participants on case–management within the criminal justice system in Lakes State prisons, by easily identifying cases of unlawful detention, and the ability to initiate referral to appropriate court for juveniles, women, long-term pretrial detention cases and convicts as well, through a more efficient and rights-based prison management.
South Sudan’s Minister for Local Government and Law Enforcement Agencies – Mr Chol Kuotwel, who officially opened the training workshop, said it was the second time such training workshop was organized to build the capacity of the NPSSS officials. He stated that the people of South Sudan appreciate the efforts by UNMISS in preparing them to shoulder their responsibilities in future, when the Mission finally ends.
The State Director of Prisons – Major General Mariec Chitak was the Guest of Honour at the closing ceremony, and was supported by the Rumbek Central Prison Director – Meen Mayek Makur. Certificates were issued to the participants at the end of the training workshop.
