About
HistoryPRAWA was established on December 16th, 1994. In 1998 the organisation acquired observer status from the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR).
The organisation established the first Alternative to Violence Project in West Africa in August 1998 and in August 2002 it hosted the 10th International Conference on Penal Abolition (ICOPA X) – The first ICOPA to be held in the Africa Continent.
Networks
PRAWA is an active member of the following Networks and Coalitions:
- International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA)
- African Security Sector Network (ASSN)
- African Correctional Services Association
- Network of Specialised Rehabilitation Centres for Treatment of Torture Survivors
- National NGO Coalition on Penal Reform in Nigeria and serves as the national secretariat for the Coalition)
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Mission
PRAWA is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation which promotes human rights for people in prison while working to help those who have survived their prison term to successfully integrate into the community.The organisation exists to provide practical support services to prisoners, ex-prisoners, torture survivors, youth-at-risk, and their families. The organisation focuses on promoting transformative justice models that recognise healing and accessible justice for victims, offenders and the community.
PRAWA’s Philosophy
PRAWA believes in the promotion of transformative justice models and ideals which reject the use of counter-productive, revenge oriented penal sanctions. This comes from the belief that the community needs to be empowered to solve its own conflict situations in a productive, humane manner. In rejecting retributive justice structures and mentalities, PRAWA has come to embrace a more holistic, healing approach to justice.The rationale for promoting transformative justice is supported by the view that crime is a social problem that includes and affects all members of the community. Given the overriding problems of the criminal justice system and the degrading conditions that prisons exposes community members to, a more holistic, just, humane and effective approach is being advocated by PRAWA. A system which will prevent the destructive and inhumane implications of the prison experience, while reducing offending and re-offending, preventing torture and providing healing opportunities for victims and torture survivors is being sought.
Aims and Objectives:
Elevating the plights of prisoners, ex-prisoners, youths-at-risks, torture survivors and their families to the forefront of national and international discourse
Facilitating the sharing of knowledge within the criminal justice system while recording the consequences of specific practices especially as they affect the health and welfare of prisoners and survivors of torture
* Promoting alternatives to imprisonment while formulating and actualising strategies to prevent re-offending;
*Encouraging the enforcement of good prison practice and standards, which are in accordance with international and regional human rights practices
*Encouraging community justice programmes and other justice modules that recognize the interest of victims of crime and torture, offenders and the community in dispensation of justice
*Facilitating research and training in the field of criminal justice, development and social issues
*Providing practical support services for prisoners, ex-prisoners, torture victims, youth-at-risk and their families
*Developing and piloting ‘good practices’ which recognizes cultural, gender, religious sensitivities within the community and the justice system.< .
