IPRT Submission to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth consultation on the next National Strategy for Women and Girls

14th October 2024

IPRT welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) consultation on the successor to the National Strategy for Women 
and Girls (NSWG, or ‘previous strategy’).

While progress was made in advancing women’s rights over the lifetime of the previous strategy, there remain substantial gaps concerning the experiences of women and girls involved in the 
criminal justice system. These women often face compounded disadvantages, including socio-economic deprivation, gender-based violence, mental health issues, and family breakdown. The forthcoming strategy should recognise and address these issues, promoting a rights-based, gender-sensitive approach that ensures women in prison and girls in detention have the support they need to rehabilitate and reintegrate into society.

There are a range of issues that have an unequal impact on women in the penal system. Some of these issues – including experiences of mental and physical ill-health, access to services, access to robust accountability structures, complaints processes and staff relationships – are explored in greater detail in the most recent edition of IPRT’s annual flagship publication, Progress in the Penal System: A framework for penal reform, where ‘Women in the penal system’ featured as a ‘spotlight’ issue.1 While many of these issues are operational in nature, these issues may be useful to consider during the development of the successor strategy.

IPRT's submission aims to influence the successor to the NSWG by addressing the unique challenges and systemic inequalities that women in the penal system face while proposing holistic, cross-departmental solutions. The submission makes 15 recommendations.

• Read IPRT's Submission to the Department of  Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth consultation on the next National Strategy for Women and Girls