Incarcerated Bodies, Invisible Struggles: Gender, Rights, and Health in Prisons

Correctional environments present unique challenges and opportunities for leadership, particularly in the Department of Public Health. This abstract outlines the roles and impacts of women leaders within the Jamaican Prison Service, emphasising their instrumental role in the management and implementation of health programs, and details transferable learning that could be applied in other work locations and countries. Under the leadership of Dr. Donna-Michelle Royer-Powe, a comprehensive framework of care has been established to address healthcare needs within prisons. Dr. Donna-Michelle Royer-Powe exemplifies the impact of female leadership in orchestrating complex health interventions across multiple facilities and demonstrates success in a male-dominated environment for more than two decades. Infectious diseases continue to attract stigma, and the DCS has established gender sensitive services designed by women for women. Dr. Donna-Michelle Royer-Powe also champions innovative community-based strategies to extend care beyond prison walls. This includes employing community health workers to increase access to testing and treatment and ensure continuity of care for released prisoners. This approach not only addresses the immediate health needs of incarcerated individuals but also aids in their reintegration into society by connecting them with ongoing care.

The success of these programs under female leadership highlights the critical role that women must play in leading change within challenging environments. It underscores the necessity of empowering women in leadership roles, particularly in sectors where they can significantly impact public health and welfare. By providing a platform for women to lead and innovate, DCS not only improves health outcomes for incarcerated populations but also sets a precedent for gender empowerment in correctional system leadership. This model serves as a beacon for global efforts to integrate women in leadership roles, demonstrating that when women lead, they bring unique perspectives and solutions that can transform institutions and enhance societal well-being.

 

Hermaphroditism or intersexuality refers to an individual who possesses both male and female reproductive organs. A transgender person is a person born as a particular sex but who identifies and feels as belonging to the opposite sex. These two concepts are often confused. In our context, our 15-year-old patient was born with both reproductive organs. However, the feminine character is predominant, with all the signs of female puberty. Our patient identifies completely with the male sex and does not like his feminine appearance. Is he an intersex person? The answer is yes, but what gender does he identify with? He identifies as male.

 

During the searches upon admission to detention, human dignity was not respected, exposing a long-held secret of this inmate. Initially directed to a facility for male minors only, he questioned his placement there. In Senegal, intersex and/or transgender people find themselves in a situation of great legal and social vulnerability. The Senegalese penal and prison system is based on a binary concept, that is, heterosexual. Individuals with gender identity issues face societal misunderstanding and even rejection. This leads to violence that can be verbal, physical, psychological, or sexual. Medical care has been initiated with the consent of the parents for a sex change oriented toward the gender desired by our inmate. Psychological support and multidisciplinary care will be provided, culminating in a multi-stage masculinising genitoplasty. This type of situation, encountered relatively rarely in our Senegalese prison system, raises the issue of access to care for intersex individuals, as well as their place of detention and the legal framework to which they are entitled.