Maria David
COMMISSIONER-GENERAL Raphael Hamunuyela of the Namibian Correctional Service officially opened the Peer Interaction Training Workshop for Officers in Charge of Correctional/Prisons/Penitentiary Settings in Walvis Bay on Monday.
Hamunyela said that this workshop marks an important milestone in their ongoing efforts to enhance the professionalism and effectiveness of their two correctional/penitentiary systems in their countries and the SADC region.
This Peer Interaction Training Workshop, attended by Officers in Charge from five countries – Namibia, Angola, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, is the first of its kind on the continent where Officers in Charge from different countries convene to discuss mutual problems, share best practices, deliberate, and find solutions to emerging and new problems facing correctional facilities. This initiative also aims to create long-lasting relations and networks.
“By comparing practices and outcomes across different correctional systems, Officers in Charge can identify areas for improvement and set goals for their own institutions,” he said.
He added that this benchmarking process can drive innovation and continuous improvement within the correctional field.
Hamunyela pointed out that the workshop is in line with SADC’s aspirations to harmonize Member States’ policies and procedures for maintaining safe, secure, and humane custody, delivering rehabilitation programs, and reintegrating offenders.
This collaborative approach will contribute to the overall improvement of correctional systems in the SADC region.
Furthermore, Hamunyela mentioned that the Peer Interaction Training Workshop has been carefully designed to provide attendees with valuable insights, practical tools, and effective strategies for fostering positive interactions among their fellow officers.
The workshop will cover topics such as the Management of Correctional Facilities, including challenges and best practices; Working with Female Offenders; Management of Women’s Penitentiary Settings; Overview of the Offender Risk Management Correctional Strategy; Education as a Rehabilitation Tool for Juvenile Offenders; Humanization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration; Staff Training and Development as a Tool to Enhance Transformation; Management & Wellness of Officers; the Concept of Entrepreneurship in Prisons: A Case Study of Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service; Overcrowding as a Challenge in the Management of Correctional Facilities & Implementation of Rehabilitation Programs; Human Rights Approaches to Correctional Management – Best Practices from the SADC Region; Open Prison System in Zimbabwe; Implementation of Community Service Orders – Best Practices.
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