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Launch of a Staff Counselling Centre at Lang'ata Women's Maximum Prison

Nairobi, February 9, 2023: UNODC, in partnership with the Global Affairs Canada and Kenya Prisons Service, launched the Staff Counselling Centre at Lang’ata Women’s Maximum Prison to complement the work the Kenya Prisons Service is undertaking to improve its staff welfare. 

"The launch of this counseling centre comes at a time when we have witnessed an increase in mental health issues among the general population as well as within our disciplined services. Psychological support for staff handling prisoners is of utmost importance. This is because they face different traumatic situations in their daily work as mediators, witnesses and sometimes even victims that may affect their psychological and mental well-being. The counseling centre will be a place where the officers can debrief and find solutions. This will improve staff performance and service delivery to the clients, thereby increasing rehabilitation and reformation of offenders," the Commissioner-General of Kenya Prisons Service, (Brig Rtd.) John Kibaso Warioba, EBS said.

Prison officers experience particularly high levels of job-related stressors that can threaten their well-being and effectiveness in service delivery. The work is intrinsically stressful and emotionally demanding as they are responsible for the safeguarding and rehabilitation of offenders whose behaviour may be resistant, unpredictable, or violent. 

Recently, this has been exacerbated by the high cost of living and COVID-19 effects. A comprehensive mental health and psychosocial support programme is therefore required. 

UNODC is the guardian of the United Nations Standards and Norms in crime prevention and criminal justice. Preventing crime and strengthening criminal justice systems lies at the heart of the work of the UNODC. The performance of criminal justice system in terms of service delivery is dependent on the mental fitness of its human resources which can have a deep impact on prisons’ operations in the country.

Addressing the well-being of prison staff is part of comprehensive prison system reform. We need efficient management of prisons and the humane and fair treatment of prison staff to safeguard their rights,” UNODC Regional Head of the Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice and Pillar, Ms. Charity Kagwi-Ndungu said.

It is on this basis that UNODC, through the financial support from the Government of Canada, partnered with the Kenya Prisons Service to support them in constructing a counselling centre to be used by its staff at Lang’ata Women’s Maximum Prison.

The counselling centre creates a safe environment where staff can receive basic psychosocial support through peer networks under the supervision of mental health and psychosocial support professionals; get referrals for further support and access all the necessary services for the mental health of their loved ones as well.

Canadian High Commission – Head of Cooperation for Kenya, Ms. Janine Cocker highlighted the strong partnership between UNODC and Canada in supporting vulnerable populations. “We recognize the important and often difficult role played by prison officers in supporting the rehabilitation of a variety of women offenders; we value and appreciate the partnership we have built with UNODC,” she underscored. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. International standards and norms relating to imprisonment, prisons, prisoners, and prison officers are based on a number of universal and fundamental human rights enshrined in international law - among which health and well-being have been reiterated. These rights apply to all human beings and one of the responsibilities of all governments is to uphold them. 

Together with key stakeholders such as the Kenya Prison Services and Global Affairs Canada, UNODC is continuously pursuing approaches to address challenges facing prison officers, whilst seeking solutions that can lead to successful rehabilitation and prevent recidivism. 

 

For additional information click here: https://news.un.org/sw/story/2023/02/1158987

For additional information please contact: 

UNODC: charity.kagwi@un.org

Kenya Prison Service: proprisons@gmail.com

Global Affairs Canada: Axel.Rioux@international.gc.ca