Women Deprived of Their Liberty: Bridging the Gap Between Law, Policy and Practice Through Independent Oversight (PID110)

8.30am – 9am EST, 20 February 2025 ‐ 30 mins

Parallel Workshops

For the first time, independent oversight bodies from 46 countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Latin America have come together to shed light on the situation of women in prison, drawing on their vast experience in conducting prison visits and driving change through constructive dialogue with prison authorities and other relevant actors. 
These institutions, known as National Preventive Mechanisms, are established by states that are parties to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture. Through their unfettered access to places of deprivation of liberty with authorities and other relevant actors, they are uniquely placed to identify challenges and good practices across different places of detention and bridge the gap between laws, policies and practices. 
The panel will share key findings from the first global report by National Preventive Mechanisms on women in prison, coordinated by the Association for the Prevention of Torture, and will highlight country-specific practices with a view to advancing gender-responsive criminal justice systems.