PRAWA on June 25, 2014, organised an Award / Fundraising Dinner in Enugu, where stakeholders gathered to celebrate with the organisation.

PRAWA Deputy Director Mr. Yinka Lawal, presented the organisations Impacts for the past 20 years, where he encapsulated PRAWA interventions from the inception of the organisation in 1994 till date, including the foray of the organisation in other countries of Africa. A few of the organisation’s interventions include:

•  Community Based Skills Training of Ex-prisoners (Lagos) in 1995

•  Penal Reform (Public) Education implemented (national) in 1996

• Alternative to Violence Project (AVP) Training of Volunteers (Lagos) in 1998

• Training and Capacity Building for Prison Officers (national) between 1998 and 2001

•  Family Link (bridging the gap between prisoners and their families and provision of communication materials for prisoners to link with families and production of a Family Link Information Pack (Lagos and Ogun) States 1998 – 2000

• Increasing Frequency and Quality of Media Reporting on Prison Issues (Est. of Penal Reforms Media Network – PERMNET) (south east) 98 – 99

• Research on Vulnerable Prisoners – Women, Remand, Death Row, Juvenile, Physically Challenged, Mentally Challenged (VAP)  2000 – 2002

•  Crime Prevention and Community Development Scheme (CP-CS) (Including Income generation and loan scheme) 2002 – 2005

•  Promotion of Transformative Justice Models in Africa (including victim-offender mediation in prisons, courts and communities) implemented in Nigeria (Lagos), Ghana (Accra), The Gambia (Banjul) 2002

•    Rehabilitation of Torture Victims 2002 – 2004

•  Promotion on Penal Abolition and Hosting of the International Conference on Penal Abolition International (hosted in Lagos and Abuja Nigeria) 2001 – 2002

•   Demonstration of Prison Decongestion and Re-entry (gave birth to Jail Delivery Process and Manual) in Enugu in 2008 -2009 (extended to early 2010)

•   Torture Documentation and Redress 2008 – 2011

•  Prison Reform Interventions in Africa (Research & Capacity Building for Prison officers and other stakeholders) Africa – Nigeria, Rwanda, Zambia, Burundi, Kenya and Democratic Rep of Congo 2010 – 2013

•     Research on Prison Population – Awaiting Trial Population in relation to other relevant indices in Enugu State 2011 – date

•         Speeding up Criminal Justice (Enugu and Abuja) 2011 – date

Dr. Uju Agomoh, Executive Director PRAWA spoke on the Next Steps which include the need to empower our youths, stressing that the prisons are replete with youths, a situation she described as a time bomb if nothing is done to address the issue. While, A member of PRAWA Board, Prof. Chiso Okafor anchored the fundraising, where she asked the guests to be their brother’s keeper and support PRAWA’s initiatives.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of award to 13 recipients, among whom are Barr Anthony Ani (SAN), the Honorable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Enugu State, Mrs. Ukwuori Kalu, Controller of Prisons, Abia State Command, Barr Paschal Ibegbuna, Assistant Controller of Prisons and officer in-charge, Obudu prison, Cross River State, Fr. Ambrose Ekereoku of CAPIO, including two media houses – Radio Nigeria Enugu and Dream 92.5 FM Enugu for their coverage of social impact issues.

Dignitaries that graced the occasion included the chairman of PRAWA Board and a former deputy governor of Rivers State, Sir Gabriel Toby, The Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Enugu State, Barr Anthony Ani (SAN), Justice P.N. Emehelu who represented the chief justice of Enugu State, Mr. Godwin Odo, component manager, Justice for All (J4A), and members of PRAWA Board.