SUPPORT AGAINST AIDS FOR IMPRISONED WOMEN

Though there have been commendable achievements in terms of promotion and protection of prisoners’ rights, challenges still exist for pregnant and nursing women infected by HIV/AIDS in Rwandan prisons. The recent survey conducted by  KID AT HOME  and the National Correctional Service early this year  in 4 Central prisons,  revealed that 32 pregnant women and 46 nursing women sentenced to more than 2 years of imprisonment are infected by HIV/AIDS  This is a group that needs a particular attention in terms of nutrition, medical care, psychosocial assistance and hygiene and capacity building.

Pregnant and nursing inmates infected by HIV/AIDS who adhered to Anti Retro Viral drugs are estimated at 16.5% of all female inmates and do not receive any food supplement to keep strong and live longer and see their children grow. As per now, Rwanda Correctional Service  do not have sufficient  financial, human and material resources to give special care for pregnant and nursing women living in Rwandan  prisons. 

Unfortunately, very few social actors engage in supporting this vulnerable group of women who share the same fate with other prisoners. 

The action mainly aims to improve living conditions of pregnant and nursing women infected by HIV/AIDS living in prisons with the following specific objectives:

• To promote the participation of prisons in improving the living conditions of detained pregnant and nursing women infected by HIV/AIDS; 
• To develop life skills for detained pregnant and nursing women infected by HIV/AIDS;
• To fight HIV/AIDS mother-to-child transmission in prisons;

 78 detained pregnant and nursing women will be trained on chicken rearing and mushroom growing to empower them with skills which will enable their reintegration in the society after their release.

 The provision of milk cows to prisons will help improve their nutritional conditions. Hygienic problems will also be addressed by distributing sanitary materials. Trough sensitization on HIV/AIDS, detained women will acquire knowledge on HIV/AIDS and participate in the prevention of Mother to child transmission of HIV.

 Prison personnel will also be trained on detained women’s rights and HIV/AIDS to increase their ownership of the action. 

The target group of this action consist of 32 pregnant and 46 nursing women who are imprisoned and sharing life with other prisoners in densely populated prisons with poor hygienic and nutritional conditions.

 The indirect beneficiaries of the present action are prison personnel who will be also sensitized on women and children’s rights to increase their ownership and participation. Inmate mothers’ children will also indirectly benefit from the project as the situation of their mothers improve, theirs will as well change for the better.

 We intends to build the capacity of prisons to enable them solve nutritional problems that exist. The distribution of milk cows is a sustainable way since they will multiply over the years. The sensitization of women will increase their knowledge about HIV/AIDS and ensure the reduction of incidence and control of Mother to child transmission. By training women on chicken rearing and mushroom growing, we plan to help women and their children easily reintegrate in the society and actively participate in nation building. Ownership and participation of prison personnel will be increased through training on detained women’s rights and HIV/AIDS

We have been operating in Rwandan for the last 13 years. We have been targeting vulnerable children and women assisting them in terms of capacity building, nutrition, education, hygiene, etc. In the process, we came to find out that detained pregnant and nursing women infected by HIV/AIDS no efficient initiative has ever been taken to address their challenges.

KID AT HOME has staff members who have acquired a proven experience in working in prison environment since 2009. We are a legally registered organization and we are building on previous activities that we have implemented in support to children living with their inmate mothers in prisons. 

The project « Support against AIDS for Imprisoned Women» is the first of its kind in Rwanda. It has a multiplier impact on gender equality since it will benefit both the mothers, their children (boys/girls) and prison personnel (men and women).

The beneficiaries to this project live in prison environment and prison personnel are not sufficiently informed of women and children's rights. This becomes a hindrance when it comes to including the protection of pregnant and nursing inmates infected by HIV and AIDS among priorities in prison plans. Pregnant and nursing inmates infected by HIV and AIDS have psychological wounds due to the situation they live in and the stigma by their peers and relatives. This may hamper their or delay their full participation in the implementation of the project.