Prisons Service commits to improve the well-being of inmates with disabilities after NUDIPU’s findings on their plight

Upon being briefed about the findings in the situation report highlighting the state of inmates with disabilities by the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda in collaboration with with East Africa Centre for Disability Law and Policy and Uganda Media Women’s Association, the prison bosses have committed to be inclusive and accommodative of inmates with disabilities in all prisons.

Findings:

The study revealed a lack of specialized sporting equipment for Persons with Disabilities such as the visually impaired, a lack of a leadership structure for inmates with disabilities, an inaccessible physical environment, and negative social stereotypes.

Recommendations

Several recommendations were made to Uganda Prisons Service including enactment of the Policy on inmates with disabilities, having a leadership structure for inmates with disabilities, improving the physical environment, awareness raising on disability inclusion, and nutritional support to inmates with disabilities who live on drugs, purchase of more indoor games including specialized sporting for equipment for Persons with Disabilities, etc.

According to Mr Tiyo Milton Assistant Commissioner General of Uganda Prisons Service, the findings in the report are timely and relevant.  “We have already authorized the development of a national prison policy on inmates with disabilities. We want to continue working with NUDIPU on disability inclusion and have this policy in place,” Mr Tiyo says.

Mr Tiyo thanked NUDIPU for the good report. However, this would not have been possible without financial support from the Disability Rights Fund (DRF).

The study was conducted in the Luzira National Referral prison units of Upper Prison, Murchison Bay, Luzira Women, and Kitalya Minimax Prison. About 334 inmates with disabilities (44 from Upper Prison, 72 from Murchison Bay, 36 from Luzira women, and 182 from Kitalya Minimax)

These included persons with physical disabilities, persons with hearing impairment, visual impairment, persons with mental disability, persons with hard of hearing, and Persons with cerebral palsy were all present in the said prison units.  However, there were no persons who were deaf Blind and persons of little stature