2007:06 INDEPENDENT EXTERNAL ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM FOR FEDERAL WOMEN’S PRISONS
Whereas 1 women prisoners are being subjected to sexual harassment but are unable to properly address this due to lack of an effective complaint mechanism as confirmed at an October 2003 and an October 2006 Stakeholders Meeting with Correctional Service Canada and the Canadian Human Rights Commission; and
Whereas 2 judicial oversight is more likely than administrative tribunal to provide a meaningful sanction and redress for rights violations in prison including an independent Canadian inspectorate of women’s prisons; and
Whereas 3 in October 2006, the stakeholders’ organization, of which the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) is a member, was unanimous in the proposal that an independent external accountability mechanism for federal women’s prisons be put in place; and
Whereas 4 the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), in reviewing Canada’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, called upon Canada to implement the recommendations of the Canadian Human Rights Commission (2003) and, in particular, to establish external redress and adjudication processes for prisoners (UNHRC 2005); therefore be it
Resolved 1 that the National Council of Women of Canada adopt as policy the establishment of an external, independent and autonomous mechanism of oversight for correctional institutions for federally sentenced women, with accountability to the Parliament of Canada; and be it further
Resolved 2 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to establish an external, independent, autonomous mechanism of oversight for correctional institutions for federally sentenced women which has a capacity to order and enforce meaningful remedies and compensation and which is accountable to the Parliament of Canada.