An inter-transfer of female inmates that kicked off Monday, January 16, will see 579 of them moved from an overcrowded Muhanga correctional facility to the newly constructed women-only facility in Nyamagabe District.

The exercise, according to Rwanda Correctional Services (RCS), is expected to decongest Muhanga correctional facility. Data from RCS indicates that the facility is home to 7,365 inmates including 6,786 males and 579 females with their 48 children.

"This is a way of reducing overcrowding from 175 per cent to 132 per cent, while the new building completed at Nyamagabe Correctional Facility has the capacity to accommodate 1,000 female inmates and has all requirements including accommodations, early childhood development and technical and vocational education and training centers, in the way of facilitating them for rehabilitation and taking care of their infants,” RCS said in a public notice.

The newly constructed women-all correctional facility is in line with RCS’ plans to provide similar facilities in all provinces in order to improve conditions in correctional facilities and promote women’s interests.

In the new facility, according to RCS, inmates are able to learn handicrafts and modern agriculture as well as receive technical vocational courses in addition to literacy programmes.

The women-only facility in Western Province will be located in Nyamasheke District. Musanze Prison in Northern Province and Gasabo Prison in Kigali City will also be converted into women-only facilities, according to an earlier plan.