Women Prisoners Support Organization (WPSO)

Prisoners need education programs that not only teach them to read effectively but also provide them with the necessary reinforcement that will promote a positive transition to society once they are released. Better participation of Ugandan prisoners in education programs goes a long way to rehabilitate prisoners as well as reducing on offending rates.

WPSO in partnership with Irish Aid has established a pilot functional literacy and life skill education scheme in Kirinya Prison. The scheme will be implemented in collaboration with an accredited institute, Nile Vocational Institute (NVI) . The PPT Scheme involves selecting peer inmate tutors who undertake a certified training in teaching basic and life skill education to fellow inmates through tutoring . after intensive training ,peer tutors will train fellow inmates on a one to one basis. The courses to be administered include; adult basic education, computer skills and tailoring. Other courses like brick laying, home economics and catering, plumbing, poultry, crop production will follow suit.

Women inmates ,pregnant inmates and children (0-3years) born and living with their mums behind prison walls in malaria endemic districts often do not receive adequate preventative and curative care contributing to avoidable and unacceptably high numbers of maternal and infant deaths in prisons. The major aim of the project is to reduce on morbidity and mortality rates due to malaria in prisons.

Strengthening the Malaria Prison Initiative (MPI) involving the prison community to strengthen inmate participation and key stakeholders to reduce the malaria burden in Prisons is a high priority for WPSO as well as forging partnerships to advocate for policy changes to ensure Government commitment to reduce malaria related incidences in prisons.

With funding from the Ten Dollar Club, inmates and children living behind prison walls received over 170 Mosquito nets in Kirinya,Maluku, and Iganga Prisons. Unfortunately, the nets were not enough to cover the male population but strategies are being formulated to come up with other alternatives such as Indoor Residual Spraying in Prison Cells that will benefit all inmates

Through out the advocacy campaign, WPSO collaborates wih human right civil organizations and key stake holders to provide public policy recommendations to policy makers with better understanding of poor conditions of confinement as well as developing a participatory human rights culture through research , publications and monitoring. The research and documentation process educates a broader constituency as well as promoting public awareness and understanding of the criminal justice system. WPSO also arranges seminars and workshops which are need based to sensitize prisoners ,prisoners, prison warders and key policy stakeholders involved in aligning policy with equal justice. The basic purpose behind these workshops are;

increasing knowledge on human right instruments and aligning them with Penal national laws
introduction of laws
recommendation of amendments in existing laws
awareness regarding civil and human right

Documentary (Justice in Uganda)^Top

WPSO in partnership with Emotion Pictures Production in Denver Colorado filmed a documentary in 8 Uganda prisons whose major aim was to high lighten on key issues governing the judicial process in Uganda. The documentary also fostered enlistment from international bodies to aid in the progress of donor support in prison facilities as well as judicial reform.

Human Rights Education ^Top

Since 2004, WPSO has worked to raise the awareness of rights of prisoners and what those rights mean for the public. While there remains a need to build general awareness, WPSO is currently trying to advance prisoners rights focusing mainly on advocacy and training.

The human rights education education project provides half day education sessions to prisoners, prison wardens as well as conducting dissemination sessions to the general public. During sessions involving prisoners ,human rights education facilitators use participatory teaching methods to to involve prisoners in the exploration of humanrights and responsibilities. Activities include mock trials, role plays and debates based on human right issues.

Facilitating Community Discussion ^Top

At the community level,WPSO provides a half day education sessions to groups of approximately 50 people. An overview of human rights is presented to the group and discussion of local problems is encouraged. The large numbers of women and young people participating in these community dialogues indicate the outgoing need for such forums.

Children Of Prisoners Project ^Top

This project was initiated by WPSO in 2005 to mobilize and facilitate individuals and organizations in providing assistance to babies, children and pregnant women in hospitals. By law, children are allowed to stay with their mothers in prison until the age of 3 years if alternative care is not possible.in theory, prison authorities are required to meet the food, medical and other needs of this group, but they are either unable or unwilling to do so. In essence, the children serve prison sentences along with their parents.