Ethiopia is one of the largest countries in Africa both in terms of land mass and population. The Special Rapporteur’s mission to Ethiopia was undertaken in just eleven working days and this took her to five out of the eleven regions. It was therefore not possible to visit all the regions and all the detention facilities within the time available. However, the Special Rapporteur is convinced that the five regions and different detention facilities visited present a general picture of the prison situation in Ethiopia and the recommendations that follow should apply to all prisons and detention facilities in the country. The recommendations have been divided into different sections to indicate the role of each section of society, a reminder that enhancing the conditions of persons deprived of their liberty has to be a collective exercise. The Special Rapporteur therefore urges cooperation between the different sectors of society to ensure proper implementation of these recommendations. (i) Recommendations to the Government of Ethiopia There is a general expression of good political will in government, at both federal and regional level, to improve the conditions of persons deprived of their liberty. This is manifested in the development of government policies and engagement of donors in promoting the welfare of prisoners. The African Commission would like to encourage government to continue on this footing and in particular, to: a) increase the budget allocation to prisons to ensure that prisoners are able to be provided with the basic necessities such as blankets, mattresses, soaps and other provisions for hygiene; b) ensure that prisons are regularly inspected by government officials and independent bodies such as NGOs and National Human Rights Institutions or Ombudsmen; c) Develop a proper curriculum for the training of prison staff. This curriculum should include basic human rights, international norms on the treatment of offenders etc. Police officers recruited to guard prisoners should also undergo specific training besides the police training. The government might want to seek assistance from the ICRC, Penal Reform International and UN Agencies which have sufficient experience in curriculum development and training for prison officials; d) To tackle the problem of overcrowding, government should explore the possibility of encouraging small claims courts or courts for petty crimes. Alternative sentences to incarceration such as community service should also be explored and encouraged. This will go a long way to decongesting the prisons and not disrupt the social lives of those who commit minor offences; 45 Report of the Mission of the Special Rapporteur on Prisons to Ethiopia 15 – 29 March 2004