Campaign on gender issues and HIV in prisons

As part of ongoing efforts to promote the health of prisoners, particularly incarcerated women, the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR), in partnership with UNAIDS and UNODC, and with the support of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MSPS), organized on October 30 and 31 at the local prison of Tamesna, a multidisciplinary campaign which includes, among other things, awareness-raising and training activities on violence based on gender (VBG) and HIV for health and prison staff.

This campaign also aimed to raise awareness among prisoners about sexual and reproductive health with the proposal of screening for breast and cervical cancer, specifies a press release from the DGAPR.

Indeed, gender-based violence (GBV) and HIV represent major issues in the prison environment, where inmates, often from vulnerable populations, are offered the opportunity to take advantage of their incarceration to obtain information, get tested and learn to preserve their health. Prison officials play a vital role in promoting the well-being and health of female prisoners.

This event, focused on the themes of Gender and HIV, was marked by the presence of the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations Development System in Morocco. It was also an opportunity to illustrate the importance of synergy between national and international partners for improving access to quality health services for the prison population.

The program also included a presentation of the current care offering in penitentiary establishments and a specialized multidisciplinary, preventive and curative campaign for the benefit of inmates as well as training focused on gender-based violence for prison staff. The goal is to equip guards with cognitive tools to protect inmates, promote their health and safety, and strengthen their self-esteem.