Dutch WCPP Delegation Praises Empowerment Initiatives at Bali Women's Prison

Badung, Bali (ANTARA) - A delegation from the 7th World Congress on Probation and Parole (WCPP) from the Netherlands has praised the empowerment efforts for inmates at the Class II-A Women’s Penitentiary (LPP) in Kerobokan, Badung Regency, Bali.

“I am impressed and can see how the inmates collaborate with each other and learn many things,” said Rianne, a representative from the Probation Office for the Salvation Army in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, during a visit to the Kerobokan Women’s Prison in Badung Regency, Bali, on Tuesday.

Rianne, along with three other colleagues from the Netherlands, had the opportunity to visit the Kerobokan Women’s Prison during the commemoration of Kartini Day on 21 April 2026.

During the visit, the four delegates directly observed the empowerment activities for inmates, including facial and hair makeup, crafting items such as bags, hand fans, and sandals, baking cakes and snacks, as well as raising chickens, catfish, and gardening.

Rianne explained that prisons in the Netherlands also conduct empowerment activities for their inmates, but they differ from those in Bali.

In the Land of the Windmills, she continued, the majority of inmates are male, and they receive training in areas such as packaging goods, which can be beneficial for industry upon release from prison.

Furthermore, she said, only certain inmates receive training, and during the sessions, they cannot move freely and are supervised by officers.

This situation contrasts with the empowerment programmes in Indonesia, particularly at the Bali Women’s Prison, where activities are more flexible and allow for a variety of creative works in designated workshops or training locations within the prison.

“They can garden, raise chickens, sew, so they don’t get bored in the prison, they can get used to each other, there’s a community inside, and they can create works that generate money. So I am impressed to learn about their activities,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Class II-A Women’s Penitentiary in Kerobokan, Badung Regency, Ni Luh Putu Andiyani, stated that these empowerment efforts serve as a form of fostering independence, which is expected to equip them upon release from the prison.

The products of their work, including crafts, cakes, and snacks, have been exhibited at various specific events, one of which was when Bali hosted the 7th WCPP in Nusa Dua.

In fact, these inmate creations served as souvenirs for the 400 delegates from 40 countries. Not only that, the craft and snack products made by the female inmates are also marketed and can be ordered through the Instagram account @lpp_kerobokan.