United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) have jointly conducted a training programme for Maldivian prison officers.
MCS stated that the training programme aligns with the United Nations (UN) Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules) and the UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules), with financial support from the European Union (EU).
MCS stated that the training was led by the Prison Expert at UNODC Eliud Opilo Okello and took place in three groups of of 69 officers. The training sessions were conducted in Asseyri Prison, Hulhumale' Prison, and Maafushi Prison.
MCS clarified that the primary goal of the training was to acquaint all MCS prison officers with international standards and the Bangkok Rules applied in prison settings. The Bangkok Rules, comprising 70 guidelines for the treatment of female offenders and prisoners, were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2010.