A Report on Improving the Condition of Women Inmates in Prisons

This report was published in the year 2018 by the Government of India’s National Commission for Women, New Delhi. The report highlights the discrimination and violation of human rights that women residing in prisons across India face during their stay. The structural discrimination faced by these women continues even after their release, the report notes. It also presents data on various ‘positive’ changes implemented in prisons across the country.The National Commission for Women – the report states – routinely conducts inspections of jails and custodial homes to ensure that the rights of women prisoners are not violated. The inspection team comprises of chairpersons, members and officers of the National Commission for Women, as well as representatives of State Women Commissions, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and local non-governmental organisations. The present report presents the finding of inspections undertaken from November 2017 to May 2018 in 20 central jails – in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Tripura. It also contains data provided by State Women Commissions on several district jails, sub-jails, special jails and circle jails.The 112-page report is divided into five chapters and two annexures: Introduction (Chapter I); Inspection of Central Prisons - Some Positives (Chapter II); Inspection by State Commission for Women (Chapter III); Findings and Major Shortcomings (Chapter IV); Summary of Recommendations (Chapter V); Observation/Recommendations In case of Prisons Inspected by Commission (Annexure 1); and Observations/Recommendations Based on Scrutiny of proforma of various Prisons (Annexure 2).