Gender sensitive prison management strategies: good practices and challenges

On 31 October 2024, the OSCE Project Co-Ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), in collaboration with the National Human Rights Center (NHRC) of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Department of Penal Correction under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, hosted a roundtable discussion between representatives of the penitentiary services of Norway and Uzbekistan on the topic of "Gender sensitive prison management strategies: good practices and challenges".

During their introductory speeches, Akmal Saidov, First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, Director of the NHRC, and Ms. Silke Kloever, Acting Head of Mission, OSCE PCUz, stressed the significance of promoting gender equality in managing penitentiary services and highlighted the event as an excellent demonstration of how international collaboration can help drive meaningful progress.

Eighteen members from correctional service agencies took part in a virtual conversation focusing on the management methods for female correctional facilities in Uzbekistan and Norway. The keynote speakers, a Senior Advisor of the Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Service and the Head of Women’s Penal Colony from Uzbekistan, presented the national methodologies and approaches in managing penitentiary institutions in their respective jurisdictions. Both presentations outlined a strategy of protecting the dignity of female detainees in penitentiary system and facilitating their satisfactory reintegration into society.

During the roundtable, participants had the opportunity to review current good practices for supporting women in detention. Moreover, the participants discussed gender-specific needs and possible collaborations in correctional settings between the two countries, emphasizing the significance of implementing international human rights protection practices that cater to the individual needs of every woman.