We welcome the HMIP report on Yarl’s Wood, which mirrors the All Party Parliamentary report into detention findings and comes as no surprise to us having met and heard about what happens in Yarlswood from women who are or have been detained there. But the report must not just sit on shelves and inboxes.
Much has rightly been written about the report, such as by Detention Forum and The Refugee Council. And we strongly support these views.
Key injustices highlit in the report are that
None of the women are there because they are criminals, a few have spent convictions, but as Maimuna said on the Channel 4 programme ” it is worse than prison. They know why they are there, and how long for”.
Not only is the whole system very wrong, but of 47 recommendations made 2 years ago 35 have not been implemented at all, and just 12 partially. Crucial sectors such as health have got worse. Women, who are not even there for punishment, are not allowed basic things such as access to websites like Freedom from Torture.
Some of the recommendations could be brought in instantly – such as male officers not entering rooms women are in without waiting for an answer from a knock on the door. Some could be brought in quickly, like all being able to have a kettle in their room, and better access to the kitchens. Others will take some time, such as having more female officers,
BUT THE CRUCIAL NEXT STEP is for the government to implement the recommendations of the APPG report and SET UP A WORKING PARTY AS SOON AS PARLIAMENT RECONVENES TO IMPLEMENT IT S RECOMMENDATIONS.
Detention should be used as a last resort as recommended by UNHCR guidelines and Indefinite detention must be ended, with a maximum of 28 days for anyone to be there, and rules about not locking up vulnerable people kept. No ifs, no buts, get started straight away.
*An independent statutory organisation.