Project: “Promoting the Human Rights of vulnerable women through social rehabilitation and reintegration project, addressed to all imprisoned and released women in three women prisons in Lebanon”

In partnership with Diakonia

Duration: 3 years: From 1^st of Jan 2023 to 30 Dec 2025

Geographical Location: Three Women prisons in Lebanon (Baabda – Tripoli - Zahle)

Project Summary

The project aims to do a positive change in promoting the rights of all the women imprisoners during their stay in the prisons and after their release. Most of the imprisoners belong to very, poor families. They are vulnerable, living in very difficult conditions in the prisons. The project will implement right-based and gender sensitive services of social rehabilitation and reintegration for the imprisoned and released women. Through the provided services, the project would contribute to their empowerment and the improvement of their living conditions inside the prisons and after their release.

 Advocacy through Dar Al Amal social media platforms will be a major component of the project aiming at ensuring the rights of these marginalized women in living with dignity inside and outside the prisons. Until now, the responsibility of the prisons is under the Interior Ministry, and could not be moved until now to the Justice Ministry as it was decided seven years ago. Since beginning 2020, very rare NGOs who have permit to enter the women prisons entered regularly to the prisons. No more collaboration in ensuring the basic needs of the prisons and the imprisoners.

Dar Al Amal in partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Diakonia and with the support of the civil society, is still ensuring most of the basic needs of the three women prisons, and the support at all levels to the imprisoners and to the released women. In parallel, efforts will be done to do pressure for the amendment of the prison system, established in 1949, and amended in 1977. The project is implemented by a multidisciplinary team from Dar Al Amal in the three women prisons of Zahle (Bekaa), Tripoli (North Lebanon) and Baabda (Mount Lebanon).  

Objective: Promote Human Rights and Gender Equality for marginalized and stigmatized women

Outcome: Imprisoned and released women enjoy better access to quality services and improved their mental, social and health wellbeing.

-          Output 1 : Imprisoned and released women are empowered and acquire  vocational skills

-          Output 2 : Imprisoned and released women have support to improve their educational performance

-          Output 3: Imprisoned and released women receive psychosocial support and medical and legal aid.

-          Output 4: Imprisoned and released women have necessary tools and information to deal with conflict and violence practices

-          Output 5: Public opinion is aware of the situation inside the women prisons

Activities:

1. Follow-up and support of imprisoned and released women:

1.1.   Individual level:  physical-medical, psychological, legal and social assistance (Imprisoners and released)

1.2.   Family Level: Improving Relation with family, Supporting Children (imprisoners and released)

1.3.   Group activities:

1.3.1.   Education: foreign language, literacy (for beginners, and advanced) and computer sessions.

1.3.2. Awareness raising: basic living skills, health education, human rights (imprisoners and released).Basic living skills

1.3.3. Legal assistance

1.3.4. Recreational and sports activities

2.      Vocational Training Sessions:

2.1.   Vocational training for inmates and released women:

2.1.1. Embroidery, sewing, handicrafts, false jewellery, waitress training, mobile maintenance, candles decoration.

2.1.2.Small business management sessions

2.2.   Training sessions for prisons staff:

2.2.1.Sexually transmitted disease and HIV/Aids, and the integration of VCT services in women prisons.

2.2.2.Human Rights policy and standards 

3.      Social Reintegration of released women:

4.      Support to the released women:

4.1.   Facilitating access to economic activities and jobs

4.2.   Ensuring a shelter or home if needed.

4.3.   Supporting: physical-medical, psychological, social and legal.

4.4.   Supporting their Children: physical-medical, psychological, legal, educational and social assistance

5.      Income generating projects :

5.1.   Imprisoners or released women become skilled after vocational training sessions.

They work together in groups and produce together items which increase their household income and the improvement in their standards of living  

5.2.   Marketing their hand made products

6.      Advocacy: Raising awareness and highlighting the situation inside the women prisons in order to sensitive the public opinion