NHRC probes jail woes, targets women and children crisis

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India has launched a suo motu investigation into the dire conditions plaguing prisoners, especially women and their children, issuing notices to all state and union territory chief secretaries on Tuesday, demanding detailed reports within four weeks.

Suo motu action on prison conditions

The NHRC has taken independent notice of severe challenges faced by inmates across India’s jails, prompted by reports from its Special Monitors and Rapporteurs, alongside public complaints. Key concerns include overcrowding, inadequate basic amenities, and a lack of healthcare facilities, spotlighting a systemic failure in prisoner welfare.

Women and children face unique hardships

The commission highlighted alarming issues affecting women prisoners and their children, including violations of dignity and safety, rising violence causing mental distress, and unhygienic conditions lacking toilets, sanitary napkins, and clean water. Poor food quality has led to malnourishment, particularly among pregnant and lactating mothers, while children lack educational opportunities. Welfare programs, such as legal aid, vocational training, and rehabilitation, remain largely unimplemented.

Call for detailed state reports

NHRC has directed chief secretaries to submit comprehensive data within four weeks, covering: the total number of women prisoners, those with babies in jail due to maternal incarceration, the breakdown of convicted versus undertrial women prisoners, and the number of women and male undertrials detained for over a year. This move aims to address the documented human rights abuses and push for immediate reforms.