Human Rights and Prisons: Training of Trainers Workshop for Prisons’ Staff

Within the main objective of the memorandum of understanding of the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) between the Saudi Human Right Commission (SHRC) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to develop national capacities, strengthen the rule of law and to foster a human right culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An intensive two-phase programme was designed to ensure the protection of the rights of prisoners in compliance with international human rights standards. The first phase of the programme was implemented from 1-5 of March 2020 directed to 51 trainees from prison staff. The second phase will be implemented from 27 February - 3 March 2022, with participation of a group of Saudi prisons’ staff, from the Ministry of Interior, the Public Prosecution Department, Social Welfare Department and the State Security.

The Training of Trainers Workshop aims at empowering the capacity of a national cadre in the field of human rights for law enforcements in prisons, and to develop their training skills to design and implement future training programmes focusing on protecting and promoting of the rights of the prisoners in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Training of Trainers Workshop will focus on presenting the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners; known as Nelson Mandela Rules, as well as the basic principles for the treatment of prisoners as internationally recognised. In addition, it will be shedding the light on the guiding principles in terms of dealing with vulnerable groups such as, women, children, and people with disabilities.

The trainers will facilitate an open discussion on different challenges related to prisons’ staff members scope of work and their respective adherence to international standards.

In a statement by Mu’ayyad Mehyar, the OHCHR Programme Coordinator for Technical Cooperation in the  Kingdom, he anticipates that by the end of the Training of Trainers Workshop, that Saudi prisons’ staff members will gain knowledge, skills and insights on how to adhere to international human rights norms and standards and mainstream them in their respective workplaces and operations.