In an effort to strengthen prison officer managerial skills, UNMIS trained 32 Southern Sudan Prison Service officials from 13 to 17 July in Wau.

In an effort to strengthen prison officer managerial skills, UNMIS trained 32 Southern Sudan Prison Service officials from 13 to 17 July in Wau.

The session aimed to promote mentoring as a capacity building strategy in the prison service in attaining compliance with universal standards in routine prison operation and treatment of prisoners.

Funded by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the training was conducted by UNMIS Rule of Law unit in close collaboration with UN Police Wau's Rule of Law and Correction Unit.

Topics covered included organizational and capacity building of mentoring, effective mentoring relationships, starting a mentoring programme, prison management, training skills, planning and leadership, and developing managerial skills in prisons.

"We admire the role of UNMIS and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and recognize their commitment ... to empower the skills of prison staff," said Western Bahr el Ghazal State Prison Service Director Maj. Gen. Andrew Monydeeng Kuot said.

He added that the training would be put into practice so that performance in the prison system could be improved in the near future, adding that it had "truly shed light on prison management.

Attending the session were eight participants each from Western Bahr el Ghazal, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap and Lakes states.