In commemoration of International Women’s Day, the SIHA South Sudan team organized a community outreach activity on March 17th at Juba Central Women’s Prison, the national women’s prison.
The goal of this activity was to show support to the inmates and to investigate allegations of human rights violations being perpetrated against them. Initially expecting sixty attendees, the event drew an astonishing 114 participants.
During the gathering, these women courageously shared their stories of incarceration, often revealing instances of physical and sexual abuse, as well as neglect by prison officials. Notably, some women lacked access to legal aid, especially those facing minor charges. Troublingly, juveniles were housed alongside adult offenders, and individuals with mental illnesses were incarcerated instead of receiving proper mental health care.
Subsequently, there has been a noticeable reduction in the inmate population, prompting calls from the imprisoned women for a comprehensive assessment of the issues they raised within the prison’s facilities.
