Amitava Roy Committee (Prison Reforms)
Recently, the ‘Justice Amitav Roy Committee’ constituted on jail reforms has submitted its report to the government. The Supreme Court has asked the Center and the states to share their views on the committee’s report.
The report said that women prisoners in India face difficult conditions. The report emphasizes the need for significant improvements in treatment and facilities for women in Indian prisons, and draws attention to the gender-specific challenges they face.
Key observations of the Committee:
- The correctional justice system “clearly does not give separate attention to the reform or rehabilitation of women prisoners.”
- Only 18% of women prisoners have been provided with women-specific prison facilities. It is noteworthy that between 2014 and 2019, the population of female prisoners has increased by more than 11%.
- All categories of women prisoners (undertrials and convicted) are housed in the same ward.
- Female prisoners face more significant challenges than males in accessing basic amenities such as medical care, legal aid, paid labor, and recreational activities.
- Only prisons in Goa, Delhi and Puducherry allow female prisoners to meet their children without any bars or glass separation.
- Less than 40% of prisons in India provide sanitary napkins for female prisoners. About 75% of female wards in jails have to share kitchens and common facilities with male wards.
- Lack of gender-specific training on how to search female prisoners.
- Only in 10 states and 1 union territory can women prisoners file complaints of ill-treatment or harassment against prison staff.
- Lack of separate medical and psychiatric wards for female prisoners. Inadequate “Basic Minimum Facilities” for child delivery in prisons.
- Lack of health care professionals to meet the gender-specific health needs of female prisoners.
Recommendations by the committee:
- Telemedicine consultation facility should be made available,
- Vocational training should be given,
- Jail staff should be provided training to be sensitive towards women prisoners,
- Facilities for counseling etc. should be provided to women prisoners suffering from psychosomatic disorders or sexual abuse.
Source – Indian Express
