NHRC India Issues Advisory on Protecting Human Rights of Women Prisoners and Their Children

Key facts

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has issued an Advisory on the 'Protection of Human Rights of Female Inmates and their Children' to nine Union Ministries, Chief Secretaries/Administrators, and Directors General of Police of all States and Union Territories.
• The Advisory focuses on ten broad areas, including pre-admission and entry into the prison system, admission records and child database, health and mental healthcare, living conditions of women inmates, children living with or separated from prisoners, mulakat and family contact, legal aid and access to justice, welfare during court production, rehabilitation and post-release reintegration, and foreign national inmates.
• The NHRC has urged all concerned authorities to implement the Advisory's recommendations and furnish an Action Taken Report (ATR) within two months.
• The Advisory calls for a sensitive, gender-responsive approach covering humane prison conditions, maternal and child healthcare, access to justice, preservation of family ties, protection of children's best interests, and rehabilitation and social reintegration.