Windhoek – The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (Sadc PF) will, from April 23 to 25, 2025, host a joint session of its standing committees to develop a regional model law on prison oversight.
Sadc PF secretary-general Boemo Sekgoma said the meetings, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, mark a milestone in the organisation’s efforts to champion human rights and strengthen parliamentary oversight of prisons across the region.
The meetings will bring together five standing committees of the Sadc PF, namely: Democratisation, Governance, and Human Rights; Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Climate Action; Gender Equality, Women Empowerment and Youth Development; Human and Social Development and Special Programmes; and Trade, Industry, Finance and Infrastructure.
Sekgoma said the rationale for the model law is anchored in the growing need for parliaments across the Sadc region to play a more active and informed role in monitoring the treatment of detainees.
Current statistics show that the Sadc region has a combined prison population of nearly 400 000, with alarmingly high percentages of pre-trial detainees and women facing detention under conditions that often fail to meet international standards.
Many countries in the region lack clear, enforceable mechanisms for prison oversight, and the existing legal frameworks often fall short of constitutional ideals.
“The envisaged model law will offer a harmonised tool to strengthen parliamentary accountability, improve transparency, and enhance the protection of detainees’ rights, including women, children, persons with disabilities, and those held in pre-trial detention,” Sekgoma said.
“This process is about ensuring that the dignity of every person - even those behind bars - is preserved through robust oversight, transparent governance, and accountable leadership,” Sekgoma said.
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Sadc PF director of programmes Joseph Manzi said participants will reflect on issues such as torture prevention, legal gaps, prison infrastructure, food security, health care in detention, gender-based violence, and the unique vulnerabilities of detained children.
The Committee on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights will focus on the role of MPs in upholding democratic oversight, with Malawi Supreme Court judge Justice Sylvester Kalembera and Malawi Human Rights Commission chairperson Chikondi Chijozi expected to headline discussions on legal accountability and the right to vote for prisoners.
Meanwhile, the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources will spotlight prison food insecurity and climate-responsive agricultural practices, with guidance from Justice Zione Ntaba of Malawi and Victor Mhango of the Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance.
The Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development will address pressing issues such as sexual and gender-based violence in detention, the imprisonment of children with their mothers, and systemic marginalization of women prisoners. Presenters from Just Detention International and the Centre for Child Law will bring powerful insights to these conversations.
The Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programmes will focus on the health crisis in prisons, exploring issues around infectious diseases, prisoner rehabilitation, and access to education. Zambia’s George Magwende and Anneke Meerkotter of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre will lead this dialogue.
The Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Infrastructure will explore the economic dimension of prison systems, highlighting budget transparency, access to essential medicines, and the need for improved infrastructure, with input from Melusi Simelane and former South African Deputy Minister of Justice, John Jeffrey.
Manzi said on April 24, all five committees will convene for a joint session to hear from regional experts including Teresa Manuela, the African Commission’s Special Rapporteur on Prisons, and former inmates who will share lived experiences.
The discussions will feed into a position paper to be presented by Lukas Muntingh of the Dullah Omar Institute, offering a foundational framework for the drafting of the model law.
Later, Verne Harris of the Nelson Mandela Foundation will reflect on the historical legacy and lessons in independent prison oversight, anchoring the work in the values of justice and dignity.
The meetings are expected to generate consensus on core elements of the model law, identify key stakeholders for national consultations, and set the stage for a transformative legislative tool that addresses prison conditions, advances human rights, and equips Sadc parliaments with the means to effectively perform their oversight functions.
