Pollrite 23 is a brilliant concept by Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organization- an old grantee of Voice. This concept aims at ensuring voting rights for prisoners by the 2023 general election in Nigeria. This intervention will employ the use of data mining from the Independent National Electoral Commission and other organizations that have actively monitored elections in Nigeria over the past 20 years to map rightsholders based on their defining attributes. These attributes will include such variables as participation in voting, flashpoints, registration status, access to electoral resources (including registration/card collection points, polling units, INEC helpdesks). Through meetings with the key stakeholders, a community engagement strategy will be developed to guide the project at the grassroots while a high-powered engagement with stakeholders including the INEC, Federal Ministries of Interiors and Justice as well as the Presidency will also happen. This federal advocacy will seek to formulate a Framework for Voting within Custodial Centres in Nigeria. This framework will explore possibilities for voting within custodial centres and set the grounds for a pilot in the 2023 national elections.

The implementation of the developed framework for voting within Custodial Centers will be monitored by the project team ahead of the 2023 election, through support from the Presidency, election management body (INEC), the Nigerian Correctional Service, the Federal Ministry of Justice and Interior. Through the coalition of content creators, targeted sensitization of eligible voters will be amplified within the three (3) states of intervention – Enugu, Abuja, and Lagos.

Outcomes of this intervention will set the pace for enforcing the electoral right of inmates, awareness and an enabling environment for young people to vote.

Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organisation (CAPIO) is a not-for-profit, change-development organisation of the Carmelites founded in 1992 by Carmelite Fathers as a Human Rights organisation to address the rights, needs, and dignity of prisoners. Their interventions focus mainly on providing free legal, medical aid, rehabilitation and social welfare services across Nigerian prisons.    

The Advancing Human Rights for Women Prisoners project implemented interventions that influenced awareness, attitudes, and behaviours of prison staff and other relevant stakeholders towards the women prison inmates. The project had two broad goals; to persuade relevant authorities to adopt and sustain gender sensitive principles in prison management in Nigeria, and to facilitate improvement of detention conditions for women prisoners by demanding accountability from duty bearers and organising relevant campaign activities.  

CAPIO has used its social media handles to inform the general public of its  interventions, and through month and quarterly reports donors are informed of progress recorded in the project, while through CAPIO newsletter all stakeholders are informed of inroad towards improving the welfare of inmates in Nigeria. Peculiar situations and needs of women prisoners like Chika are brought to the attention of stakeholders and thereby remain on the front burner until solutions are acted upon and sustained.  

Emeka was born in prison. His mother, Chika 20 years old pregnant lady was unlawfully arrested at the instigation of a family member who was not happy about her relationship with her 21-year-old husband. She was confined at the custodial centre where she had no access to antenatal care, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene.  Female inmates across Nigeria lack access to clean toilets, flowing water and sanitary pads.  When they have children, they rely on the goodwill of others to feed and cater to their needs.  Then, Chika gave birth while confined to the prison cell.  This is when Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organisation (CAPIO) came to Chika’s and her new born baby’s rescue.  The material required by Chika for the birth and other post-birth needs were provided by CAPIO and other well-meaning individuals and organizations.     

Creating Sustainability So as baby Emeka starts his life within prison walls and his mother Chika experiences her first motherhood while behind bars, at least some little dignity was provided. By partnering with Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Prison Inmate Development Initiative (PIDI), the project has produced sustainable outcomes by ensuring that gender education is an integral aspect of prison staff training. This ensures that women prisoners are subject to more humane conditions while in prison.