PM Imran constitutes committee to examine plight of women prisoners

Prime Minister Imran Khan formed a committee to study and investigate the plight of women in prison, convicted or awaiting trial, on Friday.

The committee has been constituted in the overall context of gender bias prevalent in the society at large, issues associated with it and to put in place institutional arrangements to address the issue in a comprehensive manner.

The forum would assess Prison Rules, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 and whether international best practices were being adhered to with respect to women prisoners, especially their protection, rights, health, security, and well-being.

It would also ensure that gender-specific services are available for women prisoners. addressing their physical, psychological, emotional, and sociological needs.

The committee would review the overall governance, legal aid and management systems or processes in-prison administration, especially with regard to women prisoners and suggest improvements.

It would also review Prison Rules and other relevant laws with the purpose of suggesting gender-specific changes in order to bring improvements for women inmates.

Individual cases of human rights violations and victimisation of women inmates will also be investigated, and measures for institutional accountability will be suggested as well as assessed along with the situation of children accompanying women in jails.

The committee will also work to help bring such children into the mainstream, especially with regard to their education and social integration.

Moreover, the committee would also suggest a comprehensive and workable system of governance for prisons in Pakistan with a view to ameliorate the plight of women in prison. It would review post-release programmes to ensure that women prisoners are able to adjust in society after they leave prison.

The forum would further be asked to review any other tasks assigned to it by the chairperson in the interest of the welfare and protection of women prisoners.

The committee would have to submit its report to the prime minister within a period of four months.

The committee comprises of federal minister of human rights as chairperson; secretary ministry of human rights as secretary; secretary ministry of interior; home secretaries of governments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit Baltistan; IG prisons Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit Baltistan; Sarah Belal and Haya Zahid.

The chairperson may co-opt any person as a member of the committee.