Major Fidel Hawa has been working as a senior corrections officer at the South Sudan Jubilant Centre in the Wau area for years, despite her limited knowledge of gender-specific needs and the human rights of prisoners.

“Previously I had limited knowledge of human rights. Although I have worked as prisons officer for several years before, I have never had the chance to receive such intensive training course on human rights,” admitted Major Fidel Hawa.

“But this week I have learned more in depth on how to monitor and document human rights violations, how to treat prisoners at the centre, and how to rehabilitate and reform prisoners,” she said.

Major Hawa is one of 100 South Sudanese prisons and warrant officers in Wau who attended a workshop on human rights in prisons, held at the area Ministry of Education.

Conducted by United Nations Police serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the aim of the training was to enhance South Sudan prisons officers’ knowledge on human rights standards and prison duties.

“Now we found out that treatment of prisoners is not to punish them but to rehabilitate and change them, so that they become better people and stay on the right track when they are released,” declared Hawa on her graduation day.

Major Agonyol Morol is another South Sudan National Prisons Service officer who benefited from the human rights training programme.

“We are working in coordination with UN Police through prisons to ensure a safe and secure functioning prison system. The UN Police visits us from time to time and provides legal expertise,” said Major Agonyol Morol.

‘‘Human rights training like the one we had this week can boost our skills and contribute to performing well in our daily tasks, and make us fit to be aware of the activities we do,” he added.

At the closing ceremony, Major General Mako Ranga, Director of Wau Prisons Service thanked the UN Police and requested the Mission to maintain the excellent partnership and conduct more trainings in the future.

Mr. Ezekiel Mtonga, the UN Police Protection of Civilians Site Coordinator in Wau, encouraged participants to utilize what they have learned and apply it on the ground. He reiterated UN Police’s commitment to continue supporting relevant training programmes, to help participants address human rights issues.