India Vision Foundation

“Women in Detention and Access to Justice”- Dr. Kiran bedi

Empowerment of Women committee BranchParliament House ,8th January 2015

Receiving the MAGSAYSAY Award from the

Philippines President Fidel Ramos

Birth of the Organization

MAIN FOCUS :PRISON REFORMS

Women EmpowermentTotal Impact Created: 1250 skilled women

Shiksha

Sanskaar

Skills

3 ‘S’ Model

4

SHIKSHA

ADULT Education

NIOS

E Library Project

IGNOU

SANSKAAR

SKILL

Setting up a library

Book reading sessions

Debates and competitions

Devotional/religious songs

Crochet and knitting class

“thought of the day”

Jute Training

Cutting & Tailoring Class

Weaving

Chocolate Making Class

Computer Education

English Classes

3 ‘S’ Model

ShikshaAdult Literacy, NIOS, IGNOU, Learn English Classes and E Library Project

Sanskaar

Aaj ka Vichaar-thought sharing

Skill (Vocational Trainings)

Training onEarly Childhood Care and Development

by Mobile Crèches

Health Camp

Sports & Celebrations

CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION: Total Impact Created: 1500 children benefitted

Celebrations, Exposure trip and Fun!!!!!!

CHILDREN FROM VULNERABLE FAMILIES PROJECT (CVF) for the children who are above the age of five years

Observations Recommendations

Training & Counseling for Prison Staff:

• Most of the prison staff is insensitive anduntrained to deal with prison inmates

• In most of the prisons, there is absenceof a female superintendent or deputysuperintendent or welfare officer.

• The wardens are poorly trained to handlethe problems of the inmates and theirmind set is biased as they consider allprison inmates "criminal".

• Regular sensitization and awarenesscreation workshops for the prison staff.

• Appointment of a female deputysuperintendent or head warden withproper training.

• Appointment of welfare officer oncompulsory basis.

• Proper induction and orientation ofprison staff on regular basis.

Observation and Recommendation based on two decades experience of working inside prisons

( Tihar, Gurgaon & now Faridabad and Ghaziabad )

Legal Awareness: Recommendations

• The whole legal system is very sluggish andno time frame is drawn as far as judgmentsare concerned.

• As a result there are numerous personslanguishing in the prison without anyevidence of their involvement in any crime asunder trails and leading to over-crowding.

• In many cases when bail has been grantedthe individual is forced to stay incarcerated asthere is no one to pay guarantee due topoverty.

• Setting up of more Lok-Adalats/Fast Track Courtsso as to expedite the cases.

• Frequent visit by lawyers under the supervision ofsession judge, CJM with timely update to both andthe superintendent.

• Awareness workshops for inmates to bringtransparency and create awareness/educateinmates about their cases by legal experts/NGO’s

• Proper govt. intervention/ support/scheme forthose who cannot pay assurance amount orguarantee money.

• Except Tihar there is no system or transparency incase of inmates getting accurate information abouttheir case details, court date schedule orinformation about their parole or furlough.

Vocational Training and Skill Enhancement Options for the Inmates:

Recommendations

• Lack of vocational training and skillenhancement opportunities for the femaleinmates

• A network of NGO with their expertiseshould be invited to prison to work with theprison inmates

• More private and public participations forvocational trainings and skills enhancementof the female inmates.

Counseling Sessions for Inmates:• Lack of professional staff like psychologistsand psychiatrist in special cases

• Appointment of professional staff for expertcounseling or visits from such professionalteam for specialized support for such cases.

Health Care Education: Recommendations

• Delay in Medical treatment and only onetype of medicine is provided in all ailments.

• No health care awareness or education isgiven to the poor and uneducated inmates

• Even inmates with communicable andinfection inducing diseases are kept withoutsegregation.

• Appointment of more doctors especiallyfemale ones with the active participationfrom private hospital for regular medicalcheckup and their regular visits.

• Regular health awareness and medicalcamps in partnership with voluntaryorganizations and private hospitals.

• Separate cells/ward for such inmates.

Proper Schedule of Reformation activities:

• No proper time table or schedule in anyof the prisons for reform activities infemale wards

• Proper time table and reformationroom/centre for all such activities in all theprisons

After Care services for the Children of prison inmates :

Recommendations

• In our 20 years of working in different prisonswith women inmates and their children, wefound a total lack of any system/service forthis socially challenged group.

• Special provision for this group of children inGovt. running vocational institute withaccommodation facility.

• Issue special medical insurance cards forthese children to meet the health needs inprivate hospitals.

• Increase the accessibility of Govt. schemes,training programs and other benefits for theholistic development of the children ofprisoners.

Coordination amongst all NGO’s working for Prison reforms:

• Lack of coordination amongst NGO’s workinginside prisons

• Evolve a system wherein different NGO’s withtheir expertise work in tandem for thebetterment of the inmates so as to minimizereplication of similar work/training.

Follow up Network after release Recommendations

• Lack of post release schemes for the femaleinmates and their children

• Government schemes like short stayhome/hostel for the female inmates anddistribute seed money to restart their lifeafter release.

• Encourage NGO's all over India to set uptheir unit for crime affected families andchildren.

India Vision Foundation Team

Dr. Kiran Bedi-ChairpersonMonica DhawanAnup SinhaAnand SinghPearly SanilRenu NagTulika KiranArchana KumarDr. Ruby GuptaJyotiLeena SethiChander shekharRavi SrivastavAjay Singh

Thank You