مؤسسة حياه للتنمية والدمج المجتمعي Development and community integration
Wednesday, 19th December 23, 2018, Life Foundation for Development and Community Integration has participated in “Community-based Role” Symposium in Police Research Center at Police Academy by submitting a working document.
Participation of Life Foundation is the culmination of its efforts in rehabilitation and community integration of prisoners with a focus on female prisoners.
Dr. Nermeen ElBahtyty thanked Assistants of minister of the interior, Police Leaders, and attendees at the beginning of her speech; she also expressed her pleasure for attending the Symposium to discuss one of the most important and vital issues and which is most related to Egypt’s national security, namely, rehabilitate and reintegrate prisoners into society to become useful individuals.
She spoke about the importance of civil society’s role in public life and role of Life Foundation in embracing rehabilitation and community integration, where it is the Sole Foundation, which works in this field in cooperation with the ministry of the interior; represented by Human Rights Department, and Post-Care Police Department.
The Working document included the main principles of rehabilitation and community integration system, and the results of cooperation with the ministry of the interior.
The Cooperation has resulted in assess risk-rates and needs of 200 women ex-prisoners, who were referred to Life Foundation by Human Rights Department and Post-Care Police Department; in which 60 women ex-prisoners have been chosen; based on their low-risk rates and personal characteristics that facilitate their reintegration readily; to receive training to be able to manage small businesses.
Furthermore, 40 women ex-prisoners were selected to receive driving training through modern devices like using a simulation model (simulator) for learning.
Through “Arzak” Project, Life Foundation had trained a number of 20 women ex-prisoners to acquire work skills to become team leaders and small business managers and to promote their roles in society to adopt an entrepreneurship model based on excellence and creativity.
Moreover, Life Foundation has provided assistance and grants of 5.000 EGP for small businesses and 15.000 for medium- income generating enterprises, through “Life_Start” Project, to 20 women ex-prisoners who received training of Small Projects Owners Move Forward Program and Life Skills Program.
The Foundation also established a hospitality center for released women prisoners in ElSharkia Governorate and created an operational model, the center is the first of its kind- in Egypt; currently, many sections are being set up in the center like Sewing Training Section, Computer Literacy, and Leather Industry section for exporting.
It also provided a number of psychological interventions to the cases who have medium-risk or high-risk rates by group or individual therapy sessions or through referral to specialized psychiatric hospitals and Treatment of Drug Addiction centers.
The document has included many of recommendations that would effectively strengthen rehabilitation and community integration system
- Develop and modernize legislative framework and laws governing social care system and rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners system in line with the requirements and Human-rights-based approach orientations of Egypt state in support this group.
- Establish a national interventions mechanism mandated to rehabilitate and integration prisoners into their societies and prevent a return to crime.
- Strengthen suitable vocational and occupational training services delivery for this group through specialized governmental training centers.
- Revitalize the role of a range of stakeholders as General-Directorate for Social Security and Benefits, General-Directorate for Social Welfare, associations for prisoners’ Families at the republic level, and General-Directorate for productive families; under the auspices of the ministry of the interior.
- Revitalize the role of police departments in embracing rehabilitation and reintegration for ex-prisoners system through establish a department within police departments to guide individuals to access to services provided by the Ministry of the Interior or other ministries or civil society organizations.
- Link the services provided by the Ministry of the Interior for prisoners; in three months or appropriate intervals through monitor their needs before getting release; with the services provided upon their release.
- Promote research and studies on conditions, efforts and required interventions of rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-prisoners, and consideration and planning of a suggested proposal and an appropriate rehabilitation model.
