icrc-annual-report-2013

In ERW-contaminated Rutshuru, residents/returnees, particularlychildren, reduced their exposure to risk after attending riskeducationsessions. Radio advertisements, regularly broadcast oncommunity stations, supported these activities.PEOPLE DEPRIVED OF THEIR FREEDOMOver 18,000 detainees, including people awaiting transfer fromthe MONUSCO-run disarmament, demobilization, repatriation,resettlement and reintegration process and some held by armedgroups, received ICRC visits to monitor treatment and living conditions,in most cases conducted according to the organization’sstandard procedures. Some 2,400 security detainees and vulnerableinmates, such as women, children and foreigners, were monitoredindividually/received special attention. After the visits, the relevantauthorities received confidential feedback and recommendationsfor improvements, including in connection with treatment or nonrefoulement.Dialogue arising from reports of arrest also focusedon securing access to all detainees within the ICRC’s purview.The judicial authorities acted on individual cases brought up bythe ICRC, which contributed to the release of 71 inmates, includingthose whose pre-trial detention had exceeded the legal limit.Detainees communicated with relatives through RCMs.Severely malnourished detainees recover their healthIn 19 prisons, work with health authorities on detainees’ diet andhealth monitoring enabled a timely response to emergencies.Monthly, some 2,950 detainees boosted their nutritional intakewith daily food rations, and 1,233 malnourished/severely malnourisheddetainees received ready-to-use therapeutic food orsupplementary rations. These efforts contributed to improvingnutrition management and to holding the global acute malnutritionlevel below the emergency threshold of 30% in most facilities.Around 500 detainees grew fresh vegetables in two prison gardenswith ICRC-supplied seed, tools and fertilizer, with 300 of themconsuming their production and thus improving their diet. Newlyreleased, individually followed-up inmates returned home withfood and financial assistance.To secure the penitentiary food-supply chain, the Justice Ministryobtained the release of four consecutive food budgets and promotedthe proper allocation of funds in prisons under its authority.The ICRC suspended food distributions in some prisons and concentratedon providing technical guidance for strengthening thefunctioning of the penitentiary system.Health Ministry appoints health staff to prisonsDetainees had access to adequate care in 18 prison health clinicsthat benefited from ICRC medical supplies and training in prisonhealth procedures for staff. On arrival, inmates systematicallyunderwent medical screening. Transfer/treatment costs were coveredfor those requiring urgent care. With ICRC encouragement,the Health Ministry appointed health personnel to several prisons.Over 17,000 detainees improved their personal hygiene with soap/cleaning items, while some 12,800 inmates in 13 prisons, including1,250 in Bunia who also had water trucked in from March,saw improvements in their access to clean water and/or wereless exposed to health hazards after the rehabilitation of water/sanitation infrastructure, including in health posts. Sleeping spacefor 2,200 of them, including some 1,000 women, also increasedafter the renovation/construction of dormitories. Trained prisonstaff maintained the rehabilitated facilities.Dialogue with the authorities helped ensure detainees’ access tonational HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria prevention programmes. Aplan to incorporate prison clinics in the local health services wasdrafted and approved by the Justice and Health Ministries; however,it was not yet implemented.WOUNDED AND SICKAs fighting intensified, weapon bearers were reminded of theirobligation to allow the wounded safe access to care, in line withthe goals of the Health Care in Danger project. The increase inweapon-wounded casualties made it even more necessary to supportfirst-aid services and medical facilities.Wounded people stabilized and evacuatedOver 230 injured and sick people received first-aid and were evacuated– including from remote areas – by trained National Societyteams, who also dealt with human remains. Weapon bearers learntfirst-aid skills at National Society-run courses, enabling them toadminister first aid to their peers during clashes.PEOPLE DEPRIVED OF THEIR FREEDOM DRC AUTHORITIES ARMED GROUPS MONUSCOICRC visitsDetainees visited 18,460 63 215of whom women 1,059 1of whom minors 634 3 13Detainees visited and monitored individually 2,149 63 215of whom women 24 1of whom minors 142 3 13Detainees newly registered 1,427 31 206of whom women 16 1of whom minors 142 3 10Number of visits carried out 276 6 6Number of places of detention visited 71 3 2Restoring family linksRCMs collected 2,509RCMs distributed 2,095Phone calls made to families to inform them of the whereabouts of a detained relative 97Detainees released and transferred/repatriated by/via the ICRC 3People to whom a detention attestation was issued 101138 | ICRC ANNUAL REPORT 2013