Although efforts are being made across North Africa and the Middle East to ensure criminal justice systems reflect international standards and comply with human rights law, there are some significant challenges for reform.
These include prison overcrowding, delays in the trial process, poor coordination between criminal justice agencies, lack of resources and, in some countries of political will, and a lack of reliable data about prison systems.
PRI has been working in the region since 1991. Our regional office in Amman, Jordan, opened in 2005 and its team currently operates in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Kuwait.
Current work focuses on:
- developing gender-sensitive and child-friendly justice systems
- promoting non-custodial sanctions, particularly for vulnerable groups
- supporting countries to adopt national and integrated plans for reform
- building regional human resource capacity through networks of expertise
- promoting the abolition of the death penalty.
Latest updates
Blog post
We are 30: Looking forward to the next decade
30 years ago, Vivien Stern, Ahmed Othmani and Hans Tulkens created Penal Reform International. In the footsteps of our founders, and proud of all we have accomplished over the last 30 years, we now look forward and launch a new strategy, setting the tone of PRI’s evolution.
21st November 2019
News
Our ambitions for 2020-2023
This year PRI is celebrating 30 years of accomplishments in developing and promoting fair and effective criminal justice systems across the world.
Brochure
2020-2023 Strategy for Penal Reform International
This year PRI is celebrating 30 years of accomplishments in developing and promoting fair and effective criminal justice systems across the world. Today, we set our trajectory for the coming decade, launching our new strategy for 2020-2023.
Languages: English