CHARACTERISTICS OF FEMALE PRISONERS Pregnant women and women with children living with them in prison are often excluded from prison programmes or do not have the time to participate, due to a lack of alternative childcare arrangements. Prison authorities should put special arrangements in place to allow for their participation. CONTEXT: Lack of suitable opportunities A 2011 study based on interviews with women in nine prisons in Pakistan39 found that there were no recreational opportunities in the prisons visited, except for television which was available in two prisons. The study found that no efforts were undertaken by the prison authorities to provide prisoners with basic education or vocational training opportunities. A 2012 study of women prisoners in South Africa40 found that they suffered from a lack of education and work opportunities because investment in education and training was concentrated in the larger male prison population. The study also found that most prison work in Pollsmoor and Worcester Female Correctional Centres consisted of women sewing denim and noted that, whilst this was ‘a practical and efficient way to manufacture prison uniforms, occupy women in productive labour and for them to earn a small income… given the continued decline of the South African textile industry, this is unlikely to be a fruitful avenue for post-release employment’. Whilst some female prisoners said that they enjoyed participating in such activities, others emphasised the need to develop skills in less gendered areas, such as financial and business management. PROMISING PRACTICE: Equal opportunities for prisoners in South Sudan The National Prison Service of South Sudan has established a vocational training centre in Juba Central Prison aimed at rehabilitation and the prevention of recidivism. The project aims to empower prisoners by providing them with self-supporting skills. Eight different trainings are equally available to both men and women in the prison. These are carpentry and joinery, building and construction, electrical installation, metal fabrication and welding, auto mechanics, agriculture, hairdressing and beauty therapy, and tailoring and fashion design. The classes have both male and female instructors. Despite the emergence of many new and innovative rehabilitation programmes for female prisoners, the opportunities available to them in many prisons are still heavily gendered. Programmes for women often reflect their traditional role in society or cover domestic tasks for which they are already skilled. The opportunities typically provided to women in prison often serve only to equip them for the most low-paid jobs in the economy, reinforcing notions that they cannot compete with men in the workplace. This further entrenches their reliance on men, potentially compounding existing histories of dependency and abuse. Whilst skills taught to men in prison are often designed to prepare them for employment on release, programmes available to women are less focused on providing new vocational skills. Additionally, opportunities for work outside the prison premises tend to only be available to male prisoners. It’s all about giving people a second chance…It’s all about giving them a chance to tap into the economy they were not a part of before. Aggrey Mokaya, founder of Change Hub, a technology-focused rehabilitation programme in Kenya (see Promising Practice on page 16) Penal Reform International and Thailand Institute of Justice | Guide to the rehabilitation and social reintegration of women prisoners | 15