News

International Women’s Day fell on Saturday 8 March. Over the last year, the UK NPM has sought to produce resources that prioritise women’s health and treatment in detention, publishing bespoke guidance for monitors, and contributing to a global report on women in prison. For the International Women’s Month blog, NPM Secretariat Officer Jane Kilpatrick reflects on how understandings of women deprived of their liberty, particularly in prisons, are improving. However, there are still numerous and significant barriers to overcome before we will see treatment and conditions for women deprived of their liberty live up to international standards for equality, and for the prevention of ill-treatment.

The UK National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has joined NPMs from 45 other countries to contribute to the development of a global report on women in prison. The global report highlights significant challenges and systemic discrimination faced by women in prisons around the globe, calling for urgent reforms and greater use of alternatives to detention.