COVID-19: Preparedness and response in detention
Safeguarding the health of detainees, staff and communities.
COVID-19 poses challenges in places of detention, given the specific vulnerabilities of detainees and difficulty of containing outbreaks in such settings. The ICRC's approach to COVID-19 in detention is anchored in support to the authorities who are primarily and ultimately responsible for the wellbeing of detainees and staff.
In the context of a public health crisis, it is crucial to ensure good communication with detainees, staff and visitors on the scale of the pandemic and the measures taken to prevent its spread.
Sensitization and training videos on COVID-19
The ICRC has produced three sensitization and training videos for use by detaining authorities and for all in the wider public who may be affected by detention, such as families of detainees. Using an existing virtual prison environment, the recommended response of a fictional detaining authority is portrayed.
COVID-19 in Detention: Prevention, Protection and Information for Staff
COVID-19 in Detention: Prevention, Protection and Information for Detainees
COVID-19 in Detention: Prevention, Protection and Information for Visitors
We encourage authorities to disseminate and discuss these videos among their staff when dealing with COVID-19 preparedness and response. For this purpose, a document with supporting training objectives and information on these videos may be downloaded as well as a checklist on communicating with detainees.
These videos and supporting documents are also available for download in multiple languages:
