Along with direct implementation of activities, the Legal Aid Office (LAO) also undertakes strong initiatives on policy advice, evidence-based research, and facilitation of Government and civil society through long term partnerships focused around laws, regulations and policies on prisons. Through this work, LAO has provided comprehensive technical and legal assistance to Government, development partners and civil society to make informed policy decisions for improvement of the legal and regulatory environment governing prisons.
Some examples of LAO’s work under this portfolio include:
Prison Condition Survey:
LAO has conducted a Prison Conditions Survey in 20 prisons across Sindh. The research provides an evidence-based review of the current status of prisons in the province. This research serves as a baseline to allow informed policy, administrative and legal reforms and helps to track resultant development and change brought by the policy decisions.
Paralegal Baseline Survey:
LAO conducted a baseline survey in five adult male prisons and one adult female prison in Sindh. The study identifies current levels of situational and legal awareness, empowerment and access to legal representation and legal aid for prison inmates in sindh. The study also guides rehabilitation, medical and psycho-social services and also serves as a benchmark for Prison Paralegal Program.
Rehabilitation Framework and Policy:
This paper elaborates the rehabilitation framework for Sindh’s male prisons and provides an assessment for the contextual understanding of the applicability of prevailing rehabilitation models. Furthermore, this paper also presents recommendation for Prison Department on ways to create and sustain rehabilitation programs in prisons of Sindh.
Prison Law Reforms:
Under this initiative, LAO did an analysis of existing laws and rules, with international laws on the matter of prisons. LAO is a core member of the committee notified by Government of Sindh, along with Prison Department and Sindh Judicial Academy. Presently, the committee is in the process of re-drafting Prison Laws and Rules.