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Summary The country's Correctional Services Department head launched the new project.
South Africa has become the first African country to set up special facilities for mothers and babies behind bars.The countrys Correctional Services Department head launched the new project, which aims to give babies a chance to bond with their prison inmate mums in as normal an environment as possible.The 100-year-old South African prison system was originally designed for the incarceration of men. The department head of Correctional Services head said she is determined to turn things around. And the Baby behind Bars Project is an important step in that direction.The Womens Prison in the South African capital, Pretoria is one of the countrys 242 Correctional Centers with over 160,000 inmates. Many of them are women who are awaiting-trial or convicts who have recently been sentenced.Kayla has been in prison for the past two weeks, after being found guilty of shoplifting. Her five-month-old baby daughter lives with her. Shes grateful that the prison authorities have allowed her to care for her only child while shes incarcerated, but said she may never forgive herself for having her child behind bars.I dont feel good to be here with my baby because shes the first child. She should be outside playing with other children. Its not good to be in here with a baby.But, the good news for Kayla and her fellow-inmates is that the Pretoria Womens Prison is being renovated, and will soon have a new facility for prisoner mums and their babies.The head of South African Department of Correctional Services -- herself a mother-- recently opened the first such center near Cape Town. The baby-mother units include special furniture for the kids as well as kitchen and bathroom facilities, where mothers can better take care of their babies.The facilities have been designed with the interest of the child in mind. The decision to create these dedicated units was motivated for protecting the well-being of the child, said, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, head of South African Department of Correctional Services.Women prisoners will be allowed to parent their babies for the first 24-months of their lives.While most of these women say theyd much rather not have their children in prison with them, theyre grateful to South African Department of Correctional Services for establishing mother and baby centers, where they can take care of and bond with their little ones.I feel OK, because Im with her here rather than be outside. And Im happy to be with her here. If she was outside I was not going to feel comfortable. I was going to be stressed all the time, so Im happy, said Natasha.
