Experts urge detention reforms to protect women, children

Women and children in detention across Africa continue to face risks ranging from inadequate reproductive healthcare and poor mental health support to separation from their children and exposure to abuse within systems largely designed around the needs of men, human rights experts warned. These concerns were raised on Wednesday, June 24, at the opening of the Fourth Conference of the African National Preventive Mechanisms Network in Kigali, where delegates from across the continent discussed ways of strengthening protections for women and children deprived of liberty. ALSO READ: Child detention to be used as ‘last resort’ in new policy The three-day conference organised by Rwanda's National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) brought together representatives of national human rights institutions, policymakers and development partners to share experiences and identify solutions to prevent torture and ill-treatment. Women in detention A central concern raised by speakers was that detention systems across Africa remain largely structured around male inmates, leaving women's needs insufficiently addressed. Providence Umurungi, NCHR Chairperson, said women and children often have needs that conventional detention systems fail to capture. “Our processes of deprivation of liberty were historically designed by men and for men. When women and children enter these spaces, their unique vulnerabilities are often exacerbated by systems that were never designed to protect them,” Umurungi said. Umurungi challenged delegates to strengthen efforts to detect gender-based violence, address reproductive health needs and respond to the psychological effects of maternal separation. Maureen Shonge, the Women’s Political Participation Specialist at UN Women East and Southern Africa Regional Office, said detention monitoring must go beyond checking infrastructure and regulations. “If a monitoring visit only asks whether a facility is functioning, but not whether women are safe, healthy, fed and treated with dignity, then it is not sufficient monitoring,” Shonge said. She noted that women are frequently treated as an afterthought despite requiring specialised healthcare, psychosocial support, menstrual hygiene products and protection from abuse. ALSO READ: Biruta commends rising number of women in correctional service Brenda van den Bergh, the senior public health advisor at Dignity, an international anti-torture organisation, said that despite women being a minority in prison populations worldwide, their numbers have been growing faster than those of men. “Women are relatively few in detention facilities, and small numbers often make gender-specific needs invisible,” she said. Van den Bergh cited higher rates of psychiatric disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance dependency and self-harm among women in detention. She also pointed to concerns including inadequate reproductive healthcare, poor maternal care, lack of access to menstrual hygiene products and practices that violate women’s dignity. “The failure of prison authorities to address the specific needs of women and their children may amount to inhuman and degrading treatment and, in extreme cases, torture,” she warned. ALSO READ: Women in prison: A look at therapy process, purpose Separation from children and hidden harms Kodjo Gnambi Garba, president of Togo’s National Preventive Mechanism, said women frequently become invisible within detention systems. Garba noted that women are often detained far from their families and support networks, while access to maternal healthcare and mental health services remains uneven. He said some of the most serious harms are not always visible, particularly the emotional burden of separation from children. “Equal treatment is not always fair treatment, and dignity sometimes requires a different response,” he said. Garba also called for greater use of non-custodial measures for women with caregiving responsibilities, arguing that imprisonment can have lasting consequences for children, families and communities. ALSO READ: More women urged to join prisons service Structural challenges persist across Africa Amina Bouayach, the Chairperson of African National Preventive Mechanisms Network, said correctional services continue to grapple with overcrowded facilities, inadequate infrastructure, shortages of personnel and limited budgets. “Women and children deprived of liberty are especially vulnerable, requiring gender-sensitive approaches,” she said. Bouayach stressed that prevention must go beyond inspection and reporting. “The gravest human rights violations take root and grow when vigilance mechanisms weaken, when institutions fail to protect, and when alerts are not properly heeded,” she said. Gilbert Sebihogo, the Executive Director of the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions, echoed similar concerns, citing overcrowding, prolonged detention, limited legal aid and inadequate rehabilitation services across many countries. Sebihogo said women often face barriers to healthcare, psychosocial support and educational opportunities, while children remain exposed to protection risks and prolonged detention. “Preventive monitoring cannot stand still. It must evolve and become more responsive to realities on the ground if it is to identify and address the unique risks faced by women, children and other vulnerable groups,” he said. Rwanda highlights reforms Theophile Mbonera, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, said Rwanda has undertaken legal and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening protection for women and children in conflict with the law. He highlighted the recent launch of Diversion Framework for Children in Conflict with the Law, which seeks to ensure that detention remains a measure of last resort for children. Mbonera said Rwanda has also integrated gender-responsive and child-sensitive approaches into its justice system, while promoting rehabilitation, reintegration and alternatives to detention. The Fourth Conference of the African National Preventive Mechanisms Network is expected to produce recommendations aimed at improving detention monitoring systems and strengthening protections for women and children deprived of liberty across the continent.

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Experts urge detention reforms to protect women, children