Robertsport — A non-governmental organization, Serving Humanity for Empowerment and Development (SHED) and Development and Rural Human Rights Activist Program (RHAP) with Support from the European Union, on Thursday, launched Phase Two of its Strengthening Democracy & Respect, for Fundamental Human Rights of Prisoners in Grand Cape Mount County.
The Strengthening Democracy & Respect for Fundamental Human Rights of Prisoners in Liberia project is being funded by the European Union and implemented by SHED and RHAP with the sole purpose of providing psychosocial support, vocational training, improvement of prison condition for inmates among other activities in Margibi, Bong, Nimba, and Grand Cape Mount Counties.
The executive director of SHED, Mrs. Joyce Q. Pajibo, giving the overview of the project, said the project is expected to last for 36 months to address psychosocial support, rehabilitation, and vocational training (tailoring) to bring relief to prisoners.
"Following our level of work with inmates within the various prisons compound across Liberia through the grace of God and hard work through SHED and RHAP we have been awarded phase two of the human rights project which has incorporated the Robertsport prison for which we are here.
According to her, the Robertsport prison is expected to benefit from all of the services provided to the other four prisons.
"From this launch, we will begin effective tailoring classes for inmates, psychosocial counseling for inmates, and recreational facilities will also be provided along with community engagement with community leaders to mitigate cases to reduce prisoners. We also want to appeal to the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice to expand the infrastructure of prison facilities across the country to avoid the consistent over-crowdedness at prison facilities in the country," Madam Pajibo said.
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Launching the project, the head of the European Union Delegation to Liberia, H.E. Ambassador Nona Deprez, lauded SHED and RHAP for their commitment and hard work to improve the livelihood of prisoners and further stressed the need for rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners.
"We wanna commend SHED and RHAP for their hard work of impact and what can be done to improve prison facilities. With this new project, we want to continue with this specific expertise to find a complete solution to fix these challenges of the correction system in Liberia in four counties: Nimba, Bong, Margibi, and Grand Cape Mount," Ambassador Nona Deprez said.
In remarks, The Attorney General and Justice Minister, Hon. Natu Oswald Tweh, thanked the European Union, SHED, and RHAP for ably executing their project extension in Cape Mount in an effort to build the capacity of inmates through trade.
