SADC Corrections/Prisons Sub-Committee Endorses Key Regional Instruments for Strategic Plan Implementation
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Corrections/Prisons Sub-Committee (C/PSC) convened virtually on June 18, 2024, to assess the implementation progress of the Corrections/Prisons Strategic Plan 2021-2025.
Chaired by Zambia’s Commissioner General of Correctional Services, Mr. Frederick S. Chilukutu, the meeting gathered representatives from 15 SADC Member States.
The meeting began with a moment of silence in honor of Malawi’s late Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima and others lost in a recent helicopter accident.
Commissioner General Chilukutu underscored the importance of such engagements in sharing best practices and addressing common challenges, aiming to enhance regional safety and justice.
A key outcome was the endorsement of several strategic regional instruments, including the Draft SADC Minimum Standards for the Management of Corrections/Prisons and Treatment of Inmates, Draft Guidelines for Prisoners with Special Needs, and Draft Guidelines for Rehabilitation and Reintegration. These instruments will advance to the Ministerial Council of the Organ (MCO) for final approval in July 2024.
The meeting also addressed health concerns within prisons, guided by the Nelson Mandela Rules, progress on ratifying the Protocol on the Inter-State Transfer of Sentenced Offenders, and emphasized the role of the corrections/prisons sector in Peace Support Operations.
While noting significant progress under the Corrections/Prisons Strategic Plan 2021-2025, the C/PSC acknowledged ongoing challenges at regional and national levels. Plans are underway to review and adapt strategies to evolving trends in prisons management and reform, aiming for continued improvement across the SADC region.
Source: SADC
