Following the foregoing analysis of the trends and issues arising from the opportunities and threats, PRAWA will focus on the following priorities, objectives and strategy over the next three years, as it seeks to translate its vision into reality. 

Strategic Objectives

• Push for a law to establish an oversight mechanism for prisons procedure and treatment of prisoners
• Raise society awareness and policy advocacy to addressing the challenges of corrective justice and need for reforms.
• Establish an independent information base to strengthen decision making and reform effort of the Nigerian Penal system.
• Move for the passage and adoption of legislation for the use of non-custodial sanctions which support reintegration of offenders and the rights of victims.
• Develop a compendium on good practices in prison management in Africa.
• Build PRAWA internal capacity to lead sustainable reforms in Nigeria and beyond./li>

Push for a law to establish an oversight mechanism for prisons procedure and treatment of prisoners

Observable trends indicate that prisoners of varying types – juveniles, adults, mentally ill persons suffer torture and treatments that fall below humane standards. The most vulnerable of these groups are mentally ill persons who are discriminated against, stigmatized and often lack societal and government support to receive appropriate medical treatment. Many of our prison facilities are under –funded and poorly staffed with quality personnel to address their needs. It appears that existing accountability system in the penal system is ineffective to check human rights abuse and ensure adequate investments for effective rehabilitation is appropriated for and monitored.

Consequently within the next three years PRAWA hopes to achieve the following:

• Develop documentation on prison asylum conditions and treatment of mentally ill.
• Facilitate the development of a national plan of action for the improvement of accountability and the treatment of mentally ill persons among key justice stakeholders , the ministry of health including the council for psychiatry, civil society etc.
• Sponsor a bill for the establishment of an accountability mechanism to enhance monitoring of prison service delivery and to check human rights abuses in prisons and detention facilities.
• Facilitate an annual review of implementation plan with heads of Agencies and Ministries.
• Use the provisions of the FOI to seek information on appropriation and implementation on critical investments for improved capacity and access to quality care.

The Results We Would Like To Achieve Include:

• A draft Legislation on the establishment of an oversight mechanism and the level of legislative consultation for its passage into law and eventual passage of the law.
• Development of an National action plan for improving treatment and conditions of mentally persons in prisons.
• Multi-stakeholder buy-in and mainstreaming of action plan into appropriate agency response.
• Documentation of outcome of annual review as translated into revised action plans with key responsibility areas for stakeholders from government and civil society.

To Download, PDF ,(145kb) Click: 2012-2014 Strategy plan