Some 40 prison wardens in Korhogo and Boundiali Prisons took part in a workshop on human rights in the prison environment organized by the Legal Clinic in collaboration with the Human Rights division of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) on 9 and 10 September 2014.



The representative of the Legal Clinic, Bamba Inza said the workshop was to teach prison wardens about situations in which the use of force is allowed or prohibited in prison and to pay particular attention to children in detention.

UNOCI human rights representative Alex Kapalo stressed the need to respect the dignity of detainees. "{Participants must realize that human rights do not end at the door of the prison. Detainees should not be stripped of their human value, but should be put in a reintegration and reeducation environment. Consequently, prison wardens must exercise restraint and good judgment in the use of force and have consideration for human dignity,}" he said.



The two major topics treated were: "The use of force in detention centres" and "The rights of children in detention".

At the close of the workshop, participants made a commitment to put their newly acquired knowledge to practice and expressed the wish for the training to be extended to detainees. They also pleaded for better working conditions and better conventional working tools and equipment to ensure security and order in prisons.



UNOCI, within the framework of its mandate, provides assistance to Cote d'Ivoire's penitentiary administration through capacity building for staff and the improvement of detention conditions.