The untold story of forgotten behind bars

The project aims at contributing to the respect of the Human Rights of the mentally ill and in specific the mentally offenders. The intent is to raise the awareness and encourage proactive movement among the general public and policy makers towards the respect of the mentally ill right for good treatment especially for those who committed crimes.

The conditions among the Lebanese prisons are very tricky and the most forgotten population inside the prisons walls is the persons suffering from a mental illness. Therefore, the articles of the Lebanese penal code related to mental illness have several gaps.

Among the complex framework of the activities foreseen by the project, both mentally ill inmates and life sentences inmates will be involved in drama therapy that will allow the beneficiaries to express themselves; all the performances produced will be focused on the life within the prison and its related challenges and difficulties.

Beside practical activities with the inmates, a very important part of the project will focus more on lobby and policies issue in order to improve the current situation. Roundtables and sharing moments are organized in order to support the dialogue among the main stakeholders (including judges, lawyers and ministries) in order to elaborate and submit to the parliament a new law.

Finally a crucial importance is given to the visibility of the action that will allow the project to reach a considerable number of community members, sensitized on the matter. Public performances in and outside the prisons and the distribution of informative material will allow the society to come in contact with this delicate social matter.

Finally a crucial importance is given to the visibility of the action that will allow the project to reach a considerable number of community members, sensitized on the matter. Public performances in and outside the prisons and the distribution of informative material will allow the society to come in contact with this delicate social matter.