RCS seeks more female police officers to enhance services to women in custody

With 5,618 women currently in correctional facilities, some of them face special challenges, including caring for their children within these facilities.

RCS data shows that 382 children under the age of three are living with their mothers in correctional facilities.

Two circumstances make children reside with their mothers in prison: Female prisoners who either get sentenced while pregnant or when their children are under 3 years old.

Therefore, they have the right to reside with their mothers to benefit from breastfeeding and maternal care.

Once the children reach the age of three, family members of the imprisoned mothers can take responsibility, as the law permits the separation of children from their mothers at this age.

On a specific note, international guidelines emphasize that children in prison with their mothers should not be treated as prisoners, giving them maximum opportunities for maternal interaction and an environment similar to an outside prison.

Without disclosing the details, the data from the RCS shows that women correctional officers make up only 25 percent of the total population of all correctional officers.

Chief Inspector Ms. Lillian Uwingabire, the Director of Gender at RCS, pointed out the importance of female correctional officers in addressing specific needs of females in custody, for example during pregnancy or while caring for infants.

She highlighted the challenges related to the limited number of female officers in comparison to the population of women within correctional facilities.

Out of 13 correctional facilities in Rwanda, only four house females in custody namely Nyamagabe, Ngoma, Musanze, and Mageragere (Nyarugenge).

Mr. Benjamin Sesonga, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, emphasized that an increased number of female officers contributes to improved services, especially in conducting security checks on females in custody.

He also spoke about the challenges related to the fact that female police officers are housed in the same accommodation as their male counterparts.

He noted that there are ongoing efforts to make some improvements in accommodation, and a plan is in place to have it done by 2025.

He pointed out that measures have been taken to make some improvements in accommodation, which is expected to be completed in 2025.

However, Ms. Grace Muteteri, a female correctional officer, admitted the need for better accommodation, although she acknowledged that they are not faced with any immediate problems with the current shared space.