Objectives
To achieve its aim, the project's specific objectives are to:
To achieve its aims and objectives, GCI engages in the following activities:
GCI has provided free legal services to prisoners and human rights abuse victims since her registration in 2004. To date, we have represented over two hundred persons in the SW Region of Cameroon. We are the leading NGO in the region currently concentrating efforts specifically in the prison community.
a) Prisoner status determination
Prisoner status determination in Kumba and in Cameroon is a long and troublesome process, which many accused persons (untried prisoners) find traumatic. Standard official procedures do exist but the implementations leaves so much to be desired and falls acutely short of international expectations.
We offer legal representations to untried prisoners who are unable to get lawyers, and we use our pro bono affiliates to get them represented in court.
b) Physical security and social needs interventions
Prisoners' problems in Cameroon do not necessarily begin or end with the status determination procedure. Prisoners are also faced with additional problems such as inadequate health provision, critical food shortage, torture, medical neglect, lack of beddings, crowded cells and poor ventilation and poor drinking water.
Global Conscience has provided some basic facilities to the Kumba Prisons, including food and toileteries to assist the prisoners. We also get the chance to meet the prisoners and discuss their situations as a way of providing them comfort and assurance that they belong.
c) Field visits and community outreach
GCI continues to carry out field visits to monitor situations, investigate and intervene. We make regular visits to the prisons, police and gendarmerie cells. We also visit local communities to monitor their handling of low level disputes and give them on the field training in mediation.
Field visit are followed by the preparation of a field report that presents a detailed account of the situations encountered by field team.
See a report
Some, if not most victims who come to our offices are traumatised by the experiences that they have gone through. GCI works with partners such as the women empowerment centre, the divisional deegations of welfare, womens' affairs, youths, to provide psycho social counseling.
3. Reform of existing law, policy and practice relating to Prisoners
GCI continues to push for reform of existing laws, polices and practices that adversely affect victims of human rights abuses and prisoners. Individual case interventions ensure that prisoners rights are respected. In addition, we are exploring avenues for building jurisprudence in refugee law within the country and the African region.
4. Enhancing domestic prison legislation
Government recently introduced some reforms in the prison sector recently. While the reforms go a long way in incorporating international standards, its implementation remains another issue altogether, and it is the GCI's duty to ensure that measures are taken by all actors to implement the Act. GCI has produced a Prisoner's handbook for free distribution to prison workers and prisoners.
5. Improving information flows on human rights
GCI staff provide information to visitors in the office. We run radio programmes where we provide information and answer questions. We publish newsletters and organised talk shops, seminars, workshops, press conference and other activities aimed at bring information to all.
6. Promoting knowledge of Human Rights law among legal professionals
Human Rights Law is not an effective part of undergraduate curriculum in Cameroons Universities and thus the vast majority of Cameroonian Lawyers, Judges and Magistrates have minimal knowledge in this area - if any. In order to promote knowledge of Human Rights law among the Cameroonian legal fraternity, GCI offers legal internships to university law students, Together with tsome partners and stake holders, GCI is working to introduce a short course on Human Rights law for legal practitioners in the country.
Our response to needs is in many cases restricted due to lack of funds, shortage of staff, and the fact that government permission is necessary to engage most of our activities.
