The Enforcement of the Rights to Food and Water of Women Prisoners in East Gojjam Zone

Eyerusalem, Demissie

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dc.contributor.author	Eyerusalem, Demissie
dc.date.accessioned	2017-11-07T05:31:42Z
dc.date.available	2017-11-07T05:31:42Z
dc.date.issued	2017-11-07
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/8208
dc.description.abstract	The right to food and the right to water are one of the growingly recognized human rights considered necessary as well as prerequisite for the realization of other human rights. However studies on these rights tend to focus on its fulfillment to the general people and ignore the actual realization of the right to food and to water of specific vulnerable groups such as prisoner and women. In this regard, Women prisoners often have difficulties from their unique biological nature such as pregnancy, menstruation period, and birth, and thus become double vulnerable regarding violation of their human rights. Accordingly, the purpose of this research revolves around an investigation of the implementation of right to food and right to water of women prisoners at three East Gojjam Prison Administrations so as to identify their major problems and to recommend solutions. In doing so this research employs qualitative methodology because of explorative nature of the study that require an in depth investigation of the matter by collecting and analyzing both primary and secondary data. The empirical part of the data is collected through semi-structure interview. The finding of this research is that various legal as well as practical implementation problems are associated with enforcement of right to food and right to water of women prisoners at East Gojjam Prison Administrations. First, the law is predicated on blind non-discrimination principles that fail to recognize the peculiar circumstances of women prisoners in general apart from pregnant one. Though, the law on treatment of prisoners has intended to prevent negative discrimination on the grounds of sex, it failed to recognize the constitutionally guaranteed necessity of positive discrimination that emanate from women’s unique biological nature. Second, in East Gojjam prisons shortage of budget posed significant problem on the extent of enforcement of the right to food/water of women prisoners. For instance, not only matters peculiar to women inmates such as pregnancy, menstruation period are not properly taken care of by the authorities, the food and water provided for prisoners are poor both in quality as well as in quantity and lacks the minimum ingredients like salt and oil. Though the food menu shows provision of varying food there is an apparent lack of diversified food and virtually the same food is supplied throughout the week by prison administration of East Gojjam. Third, Water and sanitary services are not adequately made available particularly the problem is severe in Bechena and Debre Markos prison administration where water is not available sometimes for two weeks or month. This researcher recommends the formulation of legal reforms that recognize the double-vulnerability of women prisoners and hence aims to solve their peculiar problems. The government also needs to re-consider the budget allotted for prisoners in line with the economic reality of the country and the current cost of living. Key Words: East Gojjam, prison administration, Right to food, right to water, Women prisoner	en_US
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.subject	law	en_US
dc.title	The Enforcement of the Rights to Food and Water of Women Prisoners in East Gojjam Zone	en_US
dc.type	Thesis	en_US