Monrovia, 04 May 2017 –Twenty-four inmates and six corrections officers, including three women all located at the Monrovia Central Prison (MCP) today graduated from a three month basic tailoring training course funded by the UNMIL Quick Impact Project and supervised by Liberia’s Ministry of Education.

The training project, undertaken by the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation, aims to rehabilitate and reintegrate inmates. Speaking at the event, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) for Political and Rule of Law, Waldemar Vrey, stressed the significance of skills acquisition for the successful reintegration of inmates.  He reminded the inmates that these training skills will be a source of income and livelihood for the life that lies ahead and for the smooth reintegration into the society once they leave prison.

“The reintegration of prisoners is in the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (BCR) strategic plan.  We encourage you to seek more support so that this training is available to all inmates in all correction facilities in Liberia.  We are encouraging the Ministry of Justice and the BCR to work closely with your partners. As you know, UNMIL is leaving soon but the UN is not leaving. I urge you to maintain links with the rest of the UN organizations that will remain in Liberia. I am sure they will continue to strengthen the investment in rehabilitation.” said Vrey.

The DSRG commended the close working relationship between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Justice on the livelihood skills training project and encouraged both ministries to finalize the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between them. He assured them of UNMIL’s support on concluding the MoU, that seeks to ensure sustainability of academic and vocational rehabilitation programmes for the prisoners.

Assistant Minister of Education, Saku Dukuly also attended the event.