DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
2016
The project aims to shed light on the grim reality within juvenile prisons in the Eastern Congo, specifically focusing on the juvenile detention center in Goma. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is home to one of the world's youngest populations, with a median age of just 18 years. This youthfulness, however, does not shield the young from the harsh conditions that plague the country's prison system. The story captured within the walls of the juvenile detention center in Goma reveals a stark existence marked by food shortages, severe overcrowding, and inadequate sanitary conditions and medical care. These harsh realities make life-threatening situations a common occurrence.
In the DRC, the vast majority of underage inmates are pre-trial detainees, languishing in overcrowded facilities where government funding for basic needs is woefully insufficient. With an average occupancy rate of 150 percent, starvation and malnutrition are rampant. Typically, juvenile offenders are not housed separately from adults, exacerbating the challenges and dangers they face. However, the detention center in Goma stands out as an exception to this norm, offering a rare glimpse into a facility dedicated solely to young inmates.
A United Nations report highlights the severity of the situation, noting that officials have, in some cases, released pretrial detainees from Goma Prison following reviews that revealed many had been incarcerated longer than the potential maximum sentences they faced if convicted. This underscores the systemic issues within the DRC's judicial and correctional systems, where prolonged pretrial detention and inadequate legal processes contribute to the suffering of countless young lives. The documentation of these conditions aims to bring international attention to the plight of these juveniles and advocate for much-needed reforms.
