INTERNATIONAL CRIMINOLOGY CONGRESS

International Conference on

Corrections, Justice, Peace, Security & Development:

Impact, lessons and future  

2-4 December 2024

&

Exhibition of Agricultural & Industrial Products of Inmates, Ex-Inmates, Torture Victims/Survivors, Youths-at-risks, & Others Serving Non-Custodial Sentences

1-8 December 2024

Plus Pre-Conference & Post-Conference Activities

Abuja, Nigeria

In Celebration of PRAWA 30^th Anniversary

The Conference Sub Themes:

1. Criminal justice administration 

Pre-Trial Detention (including long pretrial detention and delayed trials)

Overcrowding of detention and custodial centres

Diversion

Non-Custodial Measures implementation and funding

Restorative Justice

Criminalization of poverty (homelessness) 

Access to justice and legal aid

Women’s experiences 

Juvenile Justice 

Correctional administration and leadership training

Independence of the judiciary

Corruption within the criminal justice system

Setting agenda for the future 

2. Rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates, ex-inmates and youths-at-risks

Rehabilitation of offenders serving non-custodial sanctions

Breaking circles of Criminality / Engaging Inmates and ex-inmates’ families

Skills training

Vocations and enterprises

Agricultural farms 

Accommodations 

Substance Abuse, Prevention & Treatment

Mental health 

Stigmatization

Gender Issues and Treatment of Women within the Criminal Justice System 

Youth rehabilitation and recovery 

Risk management 

Violence prevention program 

Setting agenda for the future 

3. Peace and security sector reform

Interagency cooperation and accountability 

Human rights 

Gender and leadership building 

Inmate escapes and security breaches

Interagency training, Information sharing and reliable communication

Trust building and community building 

Partnerships with national security and local agencies

Peace education and violence prevention 

Atrocity prevention, transitional justice and reconciliation 

Gender and atrocity 

Whole -of-society approach in the provision of security

Coordination of security and justice sector activities

Setting agenda for the future 

4. Torture prevention and redress 

Victim healing 

Survivor Engagement

Awareness building 

Memorialization

Human rights education

Care for caregivers

Istanbul protocol 

Torture prevention and index 

Accountability and oversight 

Building coalitions of support

Setting agenda for the future

The Draft Activities Schedule

1-8 December, 2024 

Pre – Conference Activities

Sunday 1st December 2024:

9am – 12noon:  Thanksgiving Service

1pm – 3.30pm

Venue:

Special Dialogue, and (Mentoring)Hangout: (organized by PRAWA in Partnership with Ojidu Pride, and the California State University, Sacramento, USA

Women Leaders’ Dialogue / Hangout 

(featuring women leaders in the educational sector, civic spaces, industry + commerce, justice, peace & security, and politics + governance).

Main Speech by: Dr. Idara Essien -Wood (California, Sacramento, USA) (confirmed)

Special Guest of Honour: Any Suggestions?
3.30pm – 4.30pm:

Venue:

Networking and Media Interview

5pm – 7pm:

Private Reception (Dinner or Cocktail)

In Honour of Dr Idara Essien – Wood & Dr Luke Wood

(For Few Select Audience) Semi-formal

Host: (tbc)

Will you like to host this?

Monday 2nd December 2024:

9.am – 11am

Venue:

Special Presentation of the Report of the project on Women In Custodial Centres – Budgeting, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (A pilot project implementation by PRAWA, and CGE with the support of Macarthur Foundation).

&

The Formal Opening of the week – long exhibition (supported by the Nigerian Correctional Service & PRAWA) of those serving non-custodial measures in the community, correctional service inmates, ex-inmates, torture victims and youths-at-risks products (including arts, crafts, carpentry works, clothing designs, shoes, agricultural products, etc. (Special Guests: Minister of Interior, Minister of Commerce and Industries, Minister of Agriculture, minister of Science and Innovations, CEO Rose of Sharon/FADAN (Mrs. Alakija), Representatives of Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, CEO – Fidelity Bank, National Directorate of Employment (NDE), SMEDAN, TY Danjuma Foundation, Continental Hotel), etc.

11am – 3pm:

Concurrent Sessions:

Venue:

Special Session on Correctional Service Agricultural and Vocational Workshops –

Focus: Enhancing Productivity & Sustainability

Venue: Auditorium, National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja

The Public Presentation of The Book – Bold

(written by Senator Chris Anyanwu)

3.30pm – 4.30pm:

Venue:

Graduate Students Poster Presentations on the Conference Theme & Sub Themes.

5pm – 7pm:

Venue:

Launching of the Africa Peace Fellows initiative (CACPR, CSU – Sacramento, USA and PRAWA)
Special Guests (Private sector & government – High Networth Individuals) (Suggestions?)

Including Gen. Dr. Abdulrahman Dambazau (Former Minister of Interior, Capital City University), Ambassador Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh (Liberia Embassy), Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong (BUA Group), Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar Prof. Chudi Uwazurike (Pan African University), Prof. Oshita Oshita (Ubuntu Peacebuilding Center and former DG IPCR), Dr. Victor Odoeme (Caritas University, etc.

Tuesday 3rd December 2024:

9am – 10am: Arrival & Registration of guests and participants

10am – 12noon:

Opening Ceremony

Minister of Interior, Minister of Justice, CG Nigerian Correctional Service,  Chairman Police Service Commission, Executive Secretary National Human Rights Commission, DG -Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, CG NSCDC, and other MDAs that have worked closely with PRAWA, Country Representative –Konrad Adenueur Stifung, President – International Criminological Society, National Assembly, Judiciary/NJI, RoLAC/International IDEA, United Nations (OHCHR/UNICEF/UNODC), ECOWAS, representatives of one or two Universities (Chrisland University Abeokuta, College of Forensic and Fraud Investigations Abuja, etc), NBA President, PRAWA Board Chairman

Keynote Speech 1:

Keynote Speaker – Dr Luke Wood (President, California State University, Sacramento, USA) (confirmed)

12-12.45pm:

Cultural dance, Group photograph, Brief Media Interviews /(Opening Ceremony Chair: CJN/ NJI (tbc) Tea Break

12.45pm – 2.30PM:

1st Technical Session (Panel Discussion)

Criminal Justice Administration:

Subject matter experts – practitioners including international and Nigerian experts: 

Prof Chidi Odinkalu (tbc)

Prof Akinseye George (tbc)

Adeboye Fadina – CEO International Criminal Justice Solutions Inc (ICJS) USA, Robinson Cadet – President ICJS, and Emelia Knox – Vice President ICJS (confirmed)

Session Chair: Emilio Viano, President of the International Criminological Society (confirmed)

2.30 pm – 3.30PM:

Lunch

3.30PM – 4.30PM:

2^nd Technical Session

Challenges & Practical Solutions – Experiences from the field 1

Selected member organizations of the CSO Forum on Detention and Corrections 

&

Presentation of PRAWA Brief /

Thematic Documentary Video 1

4.30PM – 5.00PM

3pm – 4pm:

Venue:

Young/Emerging NGOs Poster Presentations on the Conference Theme/Sub Themes.

5.15pm – 7.30pm:

Venue:

The Conference Welcome Reception 

Focus on Youths – ‘From Despire to Hope, & Everyone A Change Agent’ Initiative (hosted by PRAWA in partnership with UNICEF, Ashoka and Ashoka Fellows)

Special Guests of Honour: Any Minister or Ministers that can interact with Youths Minister of Education? Minister of Youth and Social Development? Minister of Interior (tbc)

• Thematic Documentary show
• Dissemination of the findings of the National Assessment on Children and Young Adults in Conflict with the Law and Deprived of their Liberty 
• Panel discussions/Talk Show/Poetry, Spoken Words, and presentation of positive change initiatives, cultural dance, etc.

Wednesday 3rd December 2024:

8.30am – 9am: Registration Continues

9AM – 10.30am

3rd Technical Session (Panel Discussion)

Peace & Security Sector Reforms

(Representatives of the various Security Agencies and the relevant committees of the national assembly, African Security Sector Network, KAS, GIZ, ECOWAS)

10.30am – 11.00am:

Tea Breaks

11am – 12.30pm:

4^th Technical Session:

Keynote 2:

Gerald Staberock, Secretary General, World Organization Against Torture – OMCT (confirmed) Session Chair: Dupe Atoki (Judge, ECOWAS Court and former chair, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights) tbc

& Public Presentation of the Global Torture Index

12.30pm – 2pm:

5th Technical Session

(Rehabilitation and Redress for Torture Victims/Survivors)

International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), Survivors’ Network, Nigeria National Preventive Mechanism (Nigeria NPM), Committee Against Torture Nigeria (CAT-Nigeria), African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS), Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa (CPTA), CACIT Togo, PRAWA International, PRAWA Nigeria, PRAWA South Sudan, Access to Justice/Sterling Law Centre, and Lawyers without Borders

(include the thematic documentary videos relevant to the session (2 short videos)

2pm – 4pm:

6th Technical Session

Luncheon /

Keynote 3 (Motivational Speaker) tbc

Focus on the Agenda for the Future and the Importance of being a change agent, and promoting transformation, sustainable sector – wide, whole of government and whole of society approaches and impact.

4pm- 5pm:

Networking/Registration for the PRAWA 30^th Anniversary Award Ceremony

5pm – 8.45pm:

Special Awards / Special Session to celebrate PRAWA /Public Launch of the following Fund:

• PRAWA Youth Village/Centres Fund
• Inmates, ex-inmates, youths/at-risk, torture victims/survivors Fund
• Launch of PRAWA CSOs Mentoring / Coaching Initiative

Plus

Special Performances by the Nigerian Correctional Service Band!!!

Thursday 5th – Friday 6th December:

State-Federal Level Governance Dialogue on Correctional Administration and other related issues

(To be hosted in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, Nigerian Correctional Service, National Body of Attorneys General, Federal Ministry of Justice, State Ministry of Justice, State Ministries in charge of Homeland Security, State and Federal Ministries of Women Affairs, Federal and State Legislators, RoLAC/International IDEA, UNICEF, and PRAWA 

8.30am – 9.30am:

Arrival and registration of participants

9.30am – 11.30am:

Opening Session

11.30am – 12noon: Tea / Coffee Break

12noon – 1.15pm:

1^st Technical Session

Presentation of the Model State Correctional Service Model Law

(including highlights on community corrections and non-custodial measures, rehabilitation and reintegration activities/prevention of offending and re-offending behaviour, juvenile justice systems, treatment of women and mentally ill persons within the criminal justice system)

1.15pm – 2.30pm:

2^nd Technical Session

Experience Sharing on the Process of Development of State Correctional Bills

(Edo, Kano, Anambra, Plateau, Adamawa, and Lagos States) and

The Enactment of the State Correctional Service Law (Ebonyi State)

2.30pm – 3.30pm:

Lunch

3.30pm – 4.30pm:

3^rd Technical Session

Identification of issues requiring agreement and synergy between the State and Federal Level Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)

(Group Session)

4.30pm – 5.00pm:

Group Report Back               

Assignment:

Each State to identify issues it requires agreement and synergy with the Federal level Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)

Friday 6th December:

9.00am – 9.30am:

Previous Day Recap

9.30am – 11.30am:

4^th Technical Session

State Presentation & Recommendations

11.30am – 12noon:

Tea/Coffee Break

12noon – 1pm:

4^th Technical Session Continues

State Presentation & Recommendations Continues.

1pm – 2.30pm:

Special Friday Prayers & Lunch

2.30pm – 4.00pm
5^th Technical Session Continues

Responses / Next Steps

Closing Remarks 

Saturday 7th December:

9am – 1pm:

Tour of Abuja

2pm – 6pm

Mega Praise (’Making of Kings’)

Sunday 8^th December 2024

Formal close of the week-long exhibition

Note: The exhibition of prisoners, ex- prisoners, torture survivors and youth at risks products will run for the entire week.