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v.'s avatar

I'm glad that we are taking steps to humanize and not degrade those who are/were in prison. certain crimes are unforgivable, yes, but taking steps to reform yourself and also work for the betterment of those on this same rough path is quite heartwarming. of course, the victims of those crimes may not be in for this so easily but hey, I'm glad that these people are doing what they can to put an end to their past actions dictating their present and work on change for the better

Rishabh Lalani's avatar

Thank you for the thoughtful note.

Vikram Lal's avatar

Dear Rishabh, I am surprised that PAAR (Prison Aid + Action Research) run by Smita Chakraburtty in not included in your list of NGOs working in this field. Smita is the pioneer of research into open prisons all over the country, starting with Rajasthan. She is in close touch with several high courts and the Supreme Court, and has done a lot to make open prisons into a credible alternative to outright incarceration. The website: https://www.paar.org.in/

Rishabh Lalani's avatar

Thank you, Mr. Lal for bringing this to my attention. I've never met Smita but have heard much about her transformational work. I am sure the readers seeing this blog will also read about her work through your comments.

SATHYA SARAN's avatar

Thank you. Thought provoking

Mukta Naik's avatar

Thank you for writing this Rishabh. It’s an important idea to reiterate in a society that sometimes appears to have lost its humanity. My work focuses on the urban poor, where too, we constantly see assumptions and attitudes from bureaucrats and funders that deny them dignity. It’s systemic to marginalise those already on the margins. So glad to read about the amazing work of so many organisations. I wish I could have been at the event too! It’s powerful to platform the voices that go unheard. And narratives are the core of policy change today, not just the evidence base as those of us in the broader development sector know well.