Women Prison Inmates &Their Children at Bachha Barrack During Pandemic Covid 19

Abstract

In view of the successive directions issued by the Supreme Court (SC) in the recent landmark case of “Re inhuman conditions in 1382 Prison” court has identified emerging trend of increasing number, vulnerable condition of women prison inmates and their children in prisons across India. “An estimated number of 1,320 children are living with the mother women prison inmates including under trials, convicts. “The number of women inmates in Indian prisons increased upto 11.3%, in a span of few years from 2011 to 2015, Roughly 1,817 children are found living in prisons with their mothers as on the year 2014 across different prison in the country”. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Empowerment of Women (submitted its report on ‘Women in Detention and Access to Justice’ 2017 reiterated the issues concerning women inmates and their children. In keeping with these, certain landmark legal, regulatory, judicial directives exist to safeguard the interest of women inmates and their children. However in Pandemic Covid 19, the condition of bachha barrack remains extremely vulnerable children of women inmates. Due to overcrowding, the covid 19 pandemic makes it difficult for covid safety protocols to be followed. The existing condition of diet, medicines, education of children remains suspended during pandemic Covid 19.