By: Peacewell Makhurane, Junior Programme Officer, Harare Office
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) Harare Office, in cooperation with the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS), conducted a Peer-Reviewed Training for ZPCS College Facilitators on International Prison Standards from 19 to 22 May 2026. This training was a build-up to the Training of Trainers (ToT) activities conducted in 2025 which equipped the ZPCS College Facilitators with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to deliver training on international prison standards to recruits, in-service officers and management.
Programme Highlights
- Refresher sessions (day one and two): Trainers revisited the training content on international prison standards and adult learning methodologies. Each facilitator was assigned topics and tasked with leading sessions based on their prior training. The refresher sessions reinforced the facilitators’ ability to deliver structured participatory training.
- Practical field training (day three and four): The final two days were conducted at Harare Central Prison and Chikurubi Maximum Prison. The ZPCS college facilitators were divided into two groups, each supported by a mentor. Fifty ZPCS officers participated in the pilot trainings facilitated by the college trainers, providing a real-world platform to apply lesson plans developed under the RWI-ZPCS cooperation programme.
The training was co-facilitated and peer reviewed by an expert from Kenya Prison Service (KPS), and Human Rights and Correctional Services specialist also from Kenya. The two assessed the quality of the delivery, offered constructive feedback and strengthened the ZPCS trainers’ capacity to conduct interactive and impactful sessions.
Outcomes of the Training
The training strengthened the ZPCS trainers’ capacity to deliver interactive and participatory training on international prison standards aimed at promoting positive change in attitudes, behaviour, and practice. The trainers demonstrated a strong understanding of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the treatment of prisoners and their practical application. They also showed improved competence in content delivery, facilitation skills, and adherence to lesson plans. The practical field sessions at the two correctional facilities in Harare provided the trainers with an opportunity to consolidate their intensive training on human rights and international prison standards. ZPCS trainers expressed appreciation for the mentorship provided by the facilitators, who offered constructive feedback and highlighted areas requiring further improvement. The trainers were encouraged to continue delivering similar training sessions within their respective workstations, contributing to the institutionalisation of good practices and human rights-based approaches within the ZPCS.
The training was conducted under the framework of cooperation between RWI and ZPCS under the RWI Zimbabwe Human Rights Capacity Development Programme 2024–2026, funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Zimbabwe.
Read more about RWI’s work in Zimbabwe here