Jail food hazardous for women, juveniles

Inmates face problems in getting clean drinking water, while jails also lacked access to sanitation and hygiene

ISLAMABAD: Food and water available in Punjab prisons is damaging the health of women and juveniles incarcerated there. The report titled “Strengthening the realisation of the rights of children and women detainees in Pakistan” prepared by Advisor to Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman) Dr Raania Ahsan revealed that food and water in jails is hazardous to health. According to the report, water was supplied in jails through old, broken and worn out pipes causing wastage of water. The report showed that inmates face problems to get clean drinking water whereas they also lacked access to sanitation and hygiene. There was a need to install reverse osmosis plants in prisons, the report suggested. Shortage of food items was a big hurdle for women who used to cook on their own in the prisons, it added. The report suggested that there should be a mini Utility Store in every jail so that prisoners may buy daily use items at reasonable prices.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2019.