GCC week features products made by male and female inmates

MUSCAT: Gulf Inmates Week, a week-long exhibition dedicated to showcasing the artistic, creative and technical skills of prison inmates, opened at the Mall of Oman on Sunday. The exhibition features products made by male and female inmates of the General-Directorate of Prisons and was inaugurated by Sayyid Salim bin Musallam al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Labour for Human Resources Development, and Major General Abdullah bin Ali al Harthy, Assistant Inspector General of Police and Customs for Operations, along with other officials from the Royal Oman Police and government agencies.

The exhibition will run until December 27 and is being held in conjunction with the Unified Gulf Inmate Week 2025, themed 'Towards the Path of Reform'.

It showcases a variety of inmate work, including professional crafts, handmade products, paintings, women's clothing, handicrafts, antiques, silverware and date-based products. The exhibition serves as a practical demonstration of rehabilitation and empowerment efforts aimed at developing the inmates' creative and professional skills.

GCC Inmates Week i s an annual event celebrated across Gulf countries, focusing on inmate rehabilitation, support for families and community integration through activities like training, educational programmes, family days and sometimes pardons for good behaviour to facilitate prisoners' reintegration as productive citizens.

This year's celebrations include an exhibition of products made by male and female inmates of the Central Prison.

GCC Inmates Week emphasises prisons as reformatory institutions, involving various ministries and civil societies to provide vocational skills, moral support and a second chance, highlighting humanitarian efforts in the justice system.

The Week also focuses on prisoner reformation, exploring additional ways to train and educate inmates in skills such as IT, soft skills, and personality development to help them build a better future.

This Week also emphasises maintaining support for inmates' families and promoting community acceptance of ex-offenders to integrate them back into society. Certified vocational training initiatives in various subjects are available to help inmates secure jobs.