Tuesday, 25 October 2016 (09:00-10:30)
Theme: The Realities of the Work of Female Prisons and Police
Officers and its Impact in the Promotion and Protection of
Women’s Rights in Africa.
Background:
- In January 2014, the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) declared 2016 as the year of human Rights in African with a special focus on women rights. The year 2016 is a milestone for the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) as it marks the 35th anniversary of the adoption[1] of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter) and the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of the African Charter.
- The Year 2016 will also mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the mechanism of the Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention in Africa in 1996 ( now the Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa), one of the oldest special mechanisms of the Commission.
- For 20 years, the Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa (the Special Rapporteur) has been working towards the improvement of the rights of detainees in line with the provisions of the African Charter particularly Article 6.
- Within the framework of the commemorative activities to mark 2016 as the “African human rights year, with a particular focus on the rights of women,” the Special Rapporteur is organizing a panel discussion on Prisons and Policing in Africa with a special focus on women’s rights.
Objectives:
- The objective of the panel is to:
- highlight the objectives of the mechanism, progress made, achievements, challenges faced and prospects;
- raise awareness on the issue of poor conditions of detention, ill-treatment of detainees, and human rights abuse by law enforcement agents in Africa; and
- sensitize participants on the legal and institutional frameworks which exist at the level of the Commission and internationally with respect to conditions of detention and Policing.
PANELIST:
- The following panelists will make presentations:
1) Honourable Commissioner Med. S.K. Kaggwa – Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa;
2) Mr. Ulrik Spliid- Programme Manager Africa, Chief Legal Adviser, Danish Institute for Human Rights;
3) Mr. Sean Tait- Director, African Policing Oversight Forum;
4) Dr. Uju Agomoh- Executive Director of PRAWA;
5) Ms. Melody Kozah- Research and Project Officer, African Policing Oversight Forum;
6) Female Police Officer; and
7) Police Officer.
PROGRAMME:
Total time: 1h 30min
- Panelists and Presentations:
1) Honourable Commissioner Med S.K. Kaggwa –Celebrating 20 years of the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa (10mins)
2) Mr. Ulrik Spliid - How to improve the treatment of women, in particular reduce police brutality, in Africa (10mins);
3) Mr. Sean Tait - The Luanda Guidelines- ‘The Journey so Far’(10mins)
4) Dr. Uju Agomoh- Conditions of Prisons and Places of Detention in Africa and its impact on the Rights of Women (10 mins).
5) Ms. Melody Kozah - How decriminalization of Petty Offences and Reducing Arbitrary Arrest can have a Positive Impact on the Rights of Marginalized Women (10mins);
6) Female Police Officer- Testimony/Experience of a Female Police Officer (5 mins);
7) Police Officer- Testimony/Experience of a Police Officer (5 mins)
8) Discussions (30 mins)
METHODOLOGY:
- The general format of the activity will be in the form of a panel discussion on Prisons and Policing with a specific focus on women’s Rights in that area. In addition to presentations, the discussions will include a short documentary/sketch and testimonies on the same. This will be followed by a short question and answer session and finally the launch of the 8th Newsletter on Police and Human Rights and distribution of a USB containing all publications by the mechanism i.e. the Luanda Guidelines, Resolutions, Newsletters, Declarations etc. (1hr 30 mins).
[1] The Charter was adopted on 28 June 1981
