Farewell to Taltaltal Musabayev in Almaty
In a significant move, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has prepared a document proposing changes to the rules of internal order of penal institutions. The proposed changes, aimed at improving conditions for women inmates, are subject to public discussion and are scheduled to be available until August 19, 2025.
The document, published on the "Open NPA" website and accessible to the public, outlines several innovative changes. One of the key proposals is the introduction of a separate daily routine for convicted women with minor children. This includes allowing mothers daily phone calls with their children and short-term visits with them without partitions.
Another notable change is the expansion of the list of permitted items. The list is set to include hair care appliances, providing inmates with the opportunity to maintain their personal grooming. Additionally, a list of personal hygiene items and baby care products will not be included in the total weight of permitted parcels for women with children, easing their burden.
In a step towards respecting the dignity and rights of inmates, it is proposed that women will be allowed to wear baseball caps, not just headscarves. Moreover, pregnant women and women over the age of 58 are planned to be allowed to use sleeping places during their personal time.
The proposed changes are in response to the President's instruction, announced at the IV meeting of the National Kurultai on March 14, 2025. The document draws inspiration from international correctional reforms, particularly the Canadian approach.
The Canadian correctional system, with its "Creating Choices" initiative, has seen significant changes since 1989. This reform led to the closure of the Prison for Women and the opening of new correctional facilities and a healing lodge focused on women offenders. The Canadian approach is centred on five principles: empowerment, meaningful and responsible choices, respect and dignity, supportive environments, and shared responsibility.
The Canadian approach also recognises the overrepresentation of Indigenous women in correctional facilities and aims to address their unique needs and rehabilitation through targeted programs. Recent training and workshops on gender-sensitive corrections for correctional officers further emphasise the importance of addressing gender-specific needs within penal institutions.
While the specific internal order rules changes proposed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for women's penal institutions in 2025 are not directly available in the search results, the provided information offers insights into the direction of these changes and the principles they are likely to be based on.
For those interested in related reforms in other jurisdictions or a broader summary of recent trends in women’s corrections policy, further research is encouraged. However, for a detailed understanding of the proposed changes in the internal order rules of penal institutions for women published by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2025, it is recommended to consult the Ministry's official publications or press releases directly.
- The proposed changes in the internal order of women's penal institutions, inspired by Canadian correctional reforms, aim to enhance health-and-wellness, particularly in women's health, by allowing mothers daily phone calls with their children and short-term visits without partitions.
- In line with the Canadian approach that values respect and dignity, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is considering allowing women to wear baseball caps, not just headscarves, and setting up a separate daily routine for convicted women with minor children, which includes the provision of hair care appliances for personal grooming.
