By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
UN Women Liberia has donated several hygiene materials to female inmates at the Monrovia Central Prisons in the country.
UN Women, which made the donation Wednesday, November 23, 2022, has provided and continue to provide support to the Bureau of Corrections under the Ministry of Justice to address the problem of overcrowded prisons through the provision of legal aid services and livelihood skills training for female detainees in nine counties in Liberia.
They are Montserrado, Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Margibi, Grand Bassa, Bomi, Gbarpolu, and Grand Cape Mount counties respectively.
But Speaking Wednesday during the donation, UN Women Deputy Country Representative Yemi Falajayo emphasized the need for the protection of dignity for female inmates irrespective of their conditions or situations across Liberia.
According to Madam Falajayo, the UN Women takes a keen interest in ensuring that female inmates are treated well and provided basic human rights including access to justice.
The UN Women Deputy Country Representative noted that the donation is in response to an appeal made by the Director of Prisons for assistance to “our sisters in prisons around the country”.
“Therefore, it is pleasure to hand over these items that include washing and bath soaps, tide soap, and dignity pads for use by our sisters,” she noted.
Items donated include twenty cartons of powder soaps or tide soap, one carton of toothbrushes, one carton of toothpaste, several menstrual pads, twenty cartons of Dr. clean soap, several pieces of female underclothes, one caution of clora, six cartons of locally made washing soap among others.
The UN Deputy Country representative hopes that the donation will help ease the burden and restore the self-confidence of the female inmates.
“In closing, let me assure you, honorable Director, that UN Women will continue to support the Bureau of Corrections in addressing the needs of female detainees in Liberia,” she concluded.
UN Women has provided training to Correction Officers to enhance their capacities on access to justice for women as well as women’s rights despite being in prison.
In remarks, Assistant Minister for Corrections and Rehabilitation at the Ministry of Justice Eddie Tarawali commended UN women for the donation promising to use the items for the intended purpose.
Mr. Tarawali at the same time appeal for more skill training and uniform support for female inmates across Liberia.