Plight of women prisoners

Jail authorities aren't concerned about providing humane conditions for the prisoners to live in.

In another indication of the failure of state institutions to deliver, there are 1,100 women living in extremely depressing conditions in jails across the country. This was revealed by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), which also pointed out that some of the families of the detainees were no longer pursuing their cases, in order to disassociate themselves from the social stigma imprisonment brings with it. Women detainees are among the most vulnerable prisoners when it comes to privacy with the cells of the Women Police Centre on Jail Road, Lahore, reportedly exposed to passersby. The walls of the jail’s bathroom are apparently only four feet high. Moreover, in violation of basic rules, there are reports that the women are kept in their jails beyond the stipulated times. This then, it would appear, stems from a basic lack of will to do right by the prisoners, for this is, of course, a basic rule that can be easily followed.

It would appear that no one, from the jail authorities to even the families of some of the prisoners, is concerned that they get their rights and at the very least humane conditions to live in. These women are not provided with qualified lady doctors. There are also no separate juvenile cells for girls under 18, exposing them then to the more hardened prisoners, which can hardly help with their rehabilitation, and, in fact, may even have adverse effects on them.

It must be kept in mind that some of these prisoners may be released at some time in the future, and the aim behind imprisoning them should be to rehabilitate them, make them better persons and equip them with the tools to be productive members of society. Punjab’s caretaker chief minister has taken notice of the issue, stressing rehabilitation of women prisoners and one can only hope that the incoming government will also give the issue of prison reforms due attention, giving the detainees their rights, for only then can the state say that it fulfills its responsibilities to the people.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2013.