The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has donated assorted items to inmates at the Lusaka Central Correctional Facility worth $30,000 towards improvement of their hygiene and nutrition.
The donation was made ahead of the Nelson Mandela day which will be commemorated on the 18th of July in Livingstone.
Speaking at the official handover, Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Chileshe Mulenga said government is on course in meeting the demands of the Nelson Mandela Rules on the treatment of inmates.
Mr. Chileshe said among the scores government has made is meeting the demand that the installations are adequate to enable every prisoner to comply with the needs of nature when necessary and in a clean and decent manner.
He commended the UNODC for the gesture made towards improving the hygiene and nutrition of the inmates.
Mr. Chileshe stated that government remains open to cooperating partners who wish to supplement government’s efforts in bringing sanity in the correctional facilities in order to fight the disease burden.
Speaking at the same event, Zambia Correctional Service, Deputy Commissioner General, Lloyd Chilundika said the Nelson Mandela Day provides a platform for correctional administrators in all jurisdictions across Africa to review their performance in improving the welfare of the inmates in all areas.
He said the gesture by the UNODC has come at the right time as it will see the Zambia Correctional Service commemorate the Mandela Day with pride.
And UNODC National Coordinator Sharon Nyambe, said the United Nations use the Nelson Mandela Day to draw attention to the more than 10 million prisoners worldwide as well as to the work of those entrusted with their safe, secure and humane custody.
Ms. Nyambe explained that with the memory of Nelson Mandela who spent 27 years in prison, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners in December 2015, as the “Nelson Mandela Rules”.
She said the rules resulted from five years of inter-governmental consultations and represent a landmark harmonization of the original version with international law and good prison management practices.
Ms. Nyambe echoed the General Assembly’s call to also celebrate Nelson Mandela International Day with a view to promote humane conditions of imprisonment, raise awareness about prisoners being a continuous part of society and to value the important work of prison staff.
She explained that a lot of work needs to be done to address overcrowding, inadequate prison conditions, violence, recidivism, as well as emerging threats such as risk of violent extremism, as they pose challenges to numerous prison administrations.
Ms. Nyambe noted that UNODC remains committed to supporting the Zambian Government to enhance humane custody of prisoners, promote health in correctional facilities and support social reintegration of ex-offenders.
