3. What would places of deprivation of liberty
that advance gender equality and integrate a
gender perspective look like?
Significant strides have been taken in many places around the world over the last ten years
in terms of integrating a gender perspective in places of deprivation of liberty. However,
there remains much that can be improved. This section describes a vision of what a place
of deprivation of liberty that does integrate a gender perspective would look like, and sets
out nine key features.1
The Bangkok Rules offer specific guidance for places of deprivation of liberty on adopting a
gender perspective. Relevant rules are highlighted in this section.
3.1 United acknowledgement that gender makes a difference.
From national-level policy-makers and politicians, through security sector management, to
front-line staff, there is an awareness and acknowledgement that women, men, boys, girls
and people with transgender identities all have different needs and require approaches
specific to those needs.
For example, there is acknowledgement that there are differences in terms of:
Ê gendered pathways
Ê substance misuse
Ê mental health, trauma and mental illness
Ê physical health needs
Ê parenting responsibilities
Ê levels of risk within places of deprivation of liberty and to the community
Ê responses to supervision, custody and behaviour programmes.
Policy and practice in places of deprivation of liberty are not created based on adjustments
made to existing gender-neutral or male-focused policies, but are fundamentally rethought
and developed for each group based on their specific needs and in consultation with those
groups.
3.2 Positive institutional environments based on safety, respect
and dignity are actively promoted
Places of deprivation of liberty that integrate a gender perspective actively promote a positive
environment. There will be acknowledgement that many people who find themselves in
such institutions have experienced traumatic situations, and the environments they are
confined in can either perpetuate the negative effects of these or can aid progress.
Image: Women in El Pastor
prison in Bogotá, Colombia,
paint a mural to educate
their fellow inmates about
transmission of tuberculosis,
2015 © Pan American Health
Organization.
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