Archipel

Archipel aims to build bridges to strengthen civic movements in support of rights of people in prison and dignity around the world. It brings together French civil society organisations and their international members affiliates to produce and disseminate information on prison conditions and to participate in activities to raise awareness and educate about rights in prison.

The Archipel project is primarily supported by the Agence française de développement (AFD) and the Fondation de France. Several internationally active partner associations – the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, the International Federation of ACATs and the French Human Rights Platform (PDH)– are also involved. The partnership with the association Possible and with Concertina: Summer Gatherings to Explore Imprisonment focuses on awareness and education in France. Other associations, as well as affiliates and members of the network partners, are involved over the course of the project as part of specific activities.

During the first phase of the project, which lasted three years, participants worked towards improving cooperation methods, producing information as a group, and disseminating that information. Phase II is continuing this approach and expanding to include actions relating to human rights education and awareness in order to connect with the public.

The first phase began in March 2021, in partnership with the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, Together Against the Death Penalty, the International Federation of ACATs, the French Human Rights Platform (PDH) and Planète Réfugiés-Droits de l’Homme. It helped provide structure to French associations involved in defending prisoners’ rights and dignity. The objectives of the project followed were threefold:

- Building a community based on discussion and common practices with partner organisations in order to document prison conditions and rights around the world
- Establishing functional processes to gather, verify and format information on prison conditions around the world
- Establishing functional processes for promoting and disseminating the information produced in order to maximise its social impact

The first phase resulted in the production and publication, in collaboration with certain partners, of country profiles for Lebanon, the Republic of the Congo and Türkiye, several thematic papers and series, and numerous interviews and personal accounts.

The second three-year phase of the Archipel project, launched in March 2024, aims to strengthen the movement for the defence of rights and dignity of people in prison, which began in phase I. This phase also includes an educational and awareness dimension to inform various audiences about respecting human rights in prison. The project still aims to better share, promote and harness the information produced collectively in order to enable civil society organisations to take action in favour of the rights and dignity of people in prison.