Three assessment missions carried out across Türkiye reviewed the needs of women prisoners and aimed to support the development of a gender-sensitive and human rights-based prison management model.
The missions examined:
- rehabilitation and social reintegration practices;
- institutional management;
- staff training.
The findings will guide future activities to support the rights of women deprived of liberty in Türkiye.
The first assessment mission held in Ankara, Eskişehir and Diyarbakır on 4-8 May 2026, focused on the overall needs and detention conditions of women prisoners.
The second mission, held in Ankara and İstanbul on 20-22 May 2026, concentrated on staff training. The delegation met with relevant departments of the Directorate General for Prisons and Detention Houses, including the Training and Probation Departments. They also visited the Ankara and İstanbul Staff Training Centres, where consultants held interviews and focus group discussions involving management, trainers and trainees. The mission reviewed current training curricula and practices and explored capacity-building mechanisms for staff working with women prisoners.
The third mission held in Ankara, İzmir, Gaziantep, İstanbul on 1–5 June 2026, examined rehabilitation, social reintegration, and prison management practices. The delegation met with representatives of the Directorate General for Prisons and Detention Houses, the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the National Preventive Mechanism. Discussions focused on rehabilitation opportunities, vocational training, education, and employment support.
Site visits were conducted at İzmir Women’s Prison, Gaziantep L-Type Prison and Marmara Women’s Prison. Consultants carried out interviews and on-site observations to review prison regimes from rehabilitation and reintegration perspectives and institutional management practices.
The missions were organised within the framework of the Joint Programme on “Strengthening Rights and Conditions of Women in Prisons in Türkiye in line with International and EU Standards”, which is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.
