Liberia: Senior prison managers meet to validate a new strategic plan for the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation (BCR)

Monrovia, Liberia; 12 April 2022: The Director of Prisons, S. Sainleseh Kwaidah, led 25 senior managers of #prisons in Liberia, including the Deputy Director and Assistant Director of Prisons, Superintendents of all prisons in Liberia and prisons’ Coordinators to validate a new strategic plan for the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation in Gbarnga, Bong County 30-31 March 2023.

The Strategy Validation workshop was supported by UNDP.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Bong County Attorney Jonathan N. Flomo emphasized the importance of the Government allocating more resources to the justice sector, and BCR to enable it to “Serve Humanity with Dignity”.

Attorney Flomo expressed dismay over the way prisoners are treated emphasizing that not much is done to seek their welfare at the various prisons and correction facilities in the country with the limited resources.

“The lack of food and other support for prisoners’ welfare remains a serious constraint,” said Attorney Flomo.

All prison superintendents highlighted the lack of food for prisoners as a key concern saying they were often compelled to use their own meagre salaries to buy food for prisoners on humanitarian grounds. 

Also speaking during the session, Lisa Karlsson, UNDP Liberia Rule of Law Officer said the agency was proud to be a long-standing partner of the BCR. She said that the partnership was crucial for fostering peace and building democratic and inclusive institutions.

“The BCR is important to the strategic vision of creating a safe and secured society by successfully rehabilitating and reintegrating offenders, addressing the issues of pre-trial detention, overcrowded prisons and upholding the basic human rights of prisoners to enhance justice,” said Ms. Karlsson.

She highlighted the support from UNDP used to leverage strategic resources and technical competencies to enhance the transformation of the BCR and its capacity to help address the issues of prison overcrowding and pre-trial detention. 

“UNDP has supported the BCR to develop a new governing act which will allow the Bureau to become semi-autonomous thereby accelerating its efficiency and ability to mobilize resources,” Karlson mentioned.

She pledged the continued commitment of UNDP in fostering the transformation of the BCR by providing training to its personnel including probation officers.