Tool 5: Places of Deprivation of Liberty and Gender
departments and individuals. Another strategy is to highlight places of deprivation of
liberty which do implement a gender perspective, and gain public and political support
by demonstrating the value gained (see Box 6). Ongoing monitoring of the institutions is
important to ensure highlighted establishments maintain a high level of performance.
Box 6: Leadership and national-level approach in Thailand
As one of the driving forces behind the establishment of the Bangkok Rules, the
government of Thailand and subsequently the Thailand Institute for Justice have shown
leadership internationally in the promotion of the rights of women in contact with the
justice system. This focus and investment have led to the funding and design of genderresponsive programmes throughout the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region
and beyond. In particular, Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol of Thailand
has used her prominent position to promote the rights of women in prison, both within
her own country and globally, by presenting regularly at international conferences and UN
events.
Sustained support for a gender-responsive approach has led to the introduction of a
countrywide initiative in Thailand called the Model Prisons Project. This government
initiative encourages prison management to implement the Bangkok Rules and then
assesses them against stringent criteria, with the status of a “model prison” being awarded
where there is significant evidence that a gender perspective has been adopted.
In 2017 four prisons were awarded this model prison status, bringing the total to
ten prisons within Thailand. Demonstrating the areas of attention within the project,
Ayutthaya Provincial Prison, a large female wing in a male prison, was evaluated as having
outstanding programmes in the following:
care of pregnant women and dependent children in prison
hygiene of mothers and children
preparation for release
education – with a specific “learning centre”
psychological support – with a specific “happy centre”.
Source: Thailand Institute of Justice (2017) “Bangkok Rules training”, training.tijbangkokrules.org/ (accessed: 17
October 2019).
Internal oversight and data collection
It is vital that as well as introducing gender-responsive policies, states maintain regular
monitoring of the implementation of agreed standards and take action to improve the
situation if the results show a low standard of performance. Such monitoring can take
the form of internal inspection or audit teams. Inspections are not only about failures;
they should identify good practice which can be used elsewhere as a model.1 Regular data
monitoring and parliamentary monitoring visits are important.*^ Government departments
can consider the findings of inspections and data monitoring in combination with data from
independent organizations (detailed in section 4.3).
Internal oversight is a safeguard for those deprived of their liberty, but can also benefit staff
working within the institutions. Inspections are a means of unearthing and investigating
any allegations of mistreatment of prisoners or otherwise improper behaviour by staff;
they are also a way of protecting staff against unjust allegations. Moreover, inspections can
be a means to give credit to staff who are doing their work in a professional and genderresponsive manner.2
* Integrating gender in
parliamentary oversight is
discussed further in Tool 7.
See also DCAF, OSCE/ODIHR,
OSCE (2014) “Integrating
a gender perspective into
oversight of the security
sector by ombuds institutions
& national human rights
institutions”.
^ For monitoring with a
particular focus on LGBTI
detainees see Association
for the Prevention of
Torture (2018) Towards the
Effective Protection of LGBTI
Persons Deprived of Liberty: A
Monitoring Guide, Geneva: APT.
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