All 14 prison governors in Bosnia and Herzegovina and six prison inspectors discussed practical ways of applying skills and knowledge acquired by prison staff thus far as part of the Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey initiative to promote competence and human rights- based approach in prison practices.

This wide and most senior group of prison professionals met in Banja Luka on 30-31 January 2018 to sign off on the training activities that recorded an encouraging average rate of 85% of success in transfer of knowledge among prison staff within the framework of the Action ''Enhancing protection of human rights of detained and sentenced persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina''.

''We have extended our full support to the past training activities by commissioning staff to undergo training delivered by the local trainers. This moment is the perfect timing to act upon this transferred knowledge and request its application in daily prison practices'', summed up one of the prison governors in attendance. The participating prison inspectors committed to partake in this process by monitoring application of these undertakings in practice, during regular future inspections. To facilitate this process, the Action's Steering Committee approved adjustments to few activities to accommodate for these developments. Prison inspectors are expected to agree shortly on the set of standards to be applied across BiH prison jurisdictions during the subsequent inspections.

The CoE-supported local prison staff training team was praised for their committment and complimented for the spread of competence across the prison system(s) in BiH. Representative of the European Union Delegation, also in attendance, shared these positive comments.

The follow up meeting with prison governors and inspectors where individual contributions to the overall application of transferred knowledge will be assessed is scheduled in June 2018.