Judicial education among masses is one of our key areas of expertise. We believe that Knowledge, awareness and being able to enforce about our fundamental Rights and Constitutional Rights are key endeavors to create informed electorate.
Woodpeckers Initiative: Strengthening Women’s Prison Reforms in Bihar
On 17/01/2025 In collaboration with Chanakya National Law University, Patna and National Commission for Women, we played a key role in the regional consultation on laws related to women in prison. Representing Bihar, directors Nagesh Anand and Prakash Kumar and Patna High Court lawyers Akash Keshav and Akanksha Malviya contributed to proposed amendments in the Bihar Jail Manual. Our work focused on 12 key areas, including:
- Mental Health Provisions – Establishing psychiatric wards, mandatory screenings, and specialized care for prisoners with mental health conditions
- Gender-Specific Infrastructure – Improved sanitation, menstrual hygiene facilities, and designated spaces for women and children
- Healthcare Standards – Ensuring adequate nutrition, maternal care, and vaccinations tailored to women’s health needs
- Legal Aid and Support – Expanding access to legal representation, prison panchayats, and grievance redressal mechanisms
- Education and Vocational Training – Enhancing literacy, digital skills, and career-oriented programs for inmates
- Reintegration and Aftercare – Support for transition post-release through employment assistance and housing options
- Protection Against Violence – Strengthening policies on reporting and addressing gender-based violence within prisons
- Nutrition and Clothing Standards – Aligning dietary provisions with national guidelines and ensuring adequate clothing
- Enhanced Complaint Mechanisms – Dedicated complaint boxes and structured reporting systems for grievances
- Family Visitation Policies – Improving visitation rights for children of incarcerated mothers and introducing family counselling
- Recognition of Special Categories – Defining undertrial prisoners, elderly inmates, prisoners with mental health conditions and those with disabilities in prison policies
- Reproductive Healthcare Access – Ensuring compliance with the MTP Act, 2021, for safe and legal medical termination of pregnancy
Apurva Vivek from Hashiya: Socio-Legal Centre for Women shed light on the Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Female prisoners and the present condition of female prisoners in Jharkhand. At the same time, Guddi Devi, a Prison Rights Activist spoke about her pain of wrongful incarceration of 11 years.
By combining legal expertise with social work perspectives, this interdisciplinary initiative contributed to a more structured and inclusive approach to analysing and assessing women-centric prison reform in Bihar.
