ACRLI is implementing a Project entitled "Strengthening the Capacity of Government of Iraq to Reform and Manage Prisons and Juvenile Pre and Post Trial Detention Facilities in Line with International Standards" In cooperation with the DMI, financed by UNDP Iraq, with a Spanish contribution.

This project supports the enhanced delivery of the services provided by the Iraqi penitentiary system through technical advice and training based on UN and other internationally recognized best practices and transfer of know how.

Result targeting institutional capacity building and strengthening are expected in four main areas:

• Support in bringing the legal framework of prisons and detention closer to international norms and standards
• Support to improve the pre and post-trial detention modalities, in particular of juvenile and vulnerable groups, based on international best practices.
• Support to develop a coherent and adapted human resource system, with development/upgrading of the skills and competencies required from the penitentiary staff in order to allow improved management of prisons within the Rule of Law framework
• Support to develop and structure cooperation between penitentiary authorities and civil society, and in particular interventions of civil society in prisons, in order to enhance the overall democratic and humane management of prisons.

Therefore, the overall objective of the project is to assist the government of Iraq to reform and manage the pre and post-trial detention facilities in line with international norms and standards.

To serve the intended objectives, the project includes two major phases:

• Consultations and assessments to develop a strategy for reform of the Iraq ICS services.
• Implementation of selected pilot activities to support the reform process, in line with the major findings of the previous phase.

- Background Paper