HF III - Strengthening the capacities of the penitentiary system in North Macedonia

Building upon the results achieved from the implementation of the first and the second phase of the “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, a joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe, the Action “Strengthening the capacities of the penitentiary system in North Macedonia” assists the authorities in progressing further with the country’s prison reform agenda and enhancing the protection of the human rights of prisoners and detained persons. It is implemented in close cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Justice (Directorate for Execution of Sanctions), Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ombudsman’s Office, as well as other national stakeholders, including prominent civil society organisations active in the area of protection and promotion of human rights.
The Action will focus on accomplishing the following outcomes:

• The provision of healthcare to sentenced persons, including mental healthcare, is strengthened in line with Council of Europe standards and best practices;
• Prison managers and staff provide better support to inmates’ rehabilitation and reintegration, through systematic application in their daily work of the newly developed procedures and gained knowledge and skills;
• External oversight and internal monitoring over the police and the penitentiary system are further enhanced, by applying Council of Europe standards and best practices.

The key Conventions for this Action are the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), as well as the findings and the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
The duration of the project is set at 48 months, and it is expected to be completed by 31 December 2026, with an overall budget of 950,000 Euros.

Project documentation

Useful information

PROJECT NEWS

Back Healthcare in prisons discussed at high-level meeting with North Macedonia’s Ministers of Health and Justice

Marina ACHA

Modified 2 Years ago.

@ Council of Europe

The provision of healthcare in North-Macedonian prisons was discussed at a high-level meeting in Skopje, attended by the Minister of Health, Deputy Minister of Justice, Director of the Directorate for the Execution of Sanctions, two prison governors (Idrizovo and Skopje), senior representatives of the Ministry of Health, Health Insurance Fund, Skopje Health Centre, as well as the Ombudsman’s Office.

Earlier analysis conducted by the Council of Europe and other relevant stakeholders, has identified the key challenges that require urgent intervention: increasing the number of medical personnel in prisons, strengthening the co-ordination capacity of the Ministry of Health, as well as ensuring proper training of medical staff.

It was agreed that the Ministry of Health would establish a working group for co-ordination purposes as interim measure, with the support of the Council of Europe. The attendees agreed that, as an incentive, the Ministry of Health should cover the costs of specialisation for the medics prepared to work in prisons. Specific procedures on the health insurance of inmates and provision of medication were also discussed, aiming at finding the most efficient ways of exchanging the relevant information.

This meeting was conducted in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme ”Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, and its action on “Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system in North Macedonia”.

Skopje, North Macedonia 19 October 2023