Inspection methodology The Commission inspected BRP and parts of MIDC on 16 April 2024; VIDC on 31 April — 1 May 2024; and PIDC on 3 May 2024. The inspection was conducted by the Human Rights Commissioner, Lorraine Finlay, and between 2 and 5 Commission staff. The team was also assisted by Ms Kilroy OAM, Dr Galen-Dickie and Professor Abbott on all visits except for PIDC. The Commission engaged Sisters Inside to provide a gendered, lived experience of incarceration, perspective to the inspection process. Ms Debbie Kilroy OAM, Chief Executive Officer of Sisters Inside, is one of Australia’s leading advocates for protecting the human rights of women and children through decarceration – the process of moving away from using prisons and other systems of social control in response to crime and social issues. Debbie’s commitment to human rights and prison reform is the result of her personal experience. Debbie was awarded the OAM for services to the community for working with women in prison in 2003 and in 2004 she was awarded the National Human Rights Medal. Dr Marianne van Galen-Dickie also works for Sisters Inside assisting women in prison with section 501 cancellations. Marianne has worked extensively in the migration field since 1993 as a migration agent, academic and political advisor. Marianne developed the Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice program at the Australian National University College of Law and was its convener and director until 2015. Marianne is the co-editor of Immigration Review and holds a Masters in Higher Research and a Doctorate of Professional Studies. The Commission acknowledges that Sisters Inside holds the view that the Australian Government should immediately end its policy of immigration detention and alternatives to closed immigration detention be adopted. The recommendations made within this Report should not be taken to be endorsed by Sisters Inside, unless they have expressly stated so. The Commission also engaged Professor Penny Abbott as an independent custodial health consultant to participate in the inspection visits and provide advice on issues relating to the physical and mental health of women being detained. Professor Abbott is an academic, general practitioner and the Chair of General Practice at Western Sydney University. She is in clinical practice within the women’s health stream of Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (Justice Health New South Wales) and worked as a doctor in the Aboriginal community-controlled health sector for over 20 years. Her professional activities include membership of the General Practice Advisory Group, Agency for Clinical Innovation New South Wales, the General Practitioners leaders’ group and the Clinical Council at the Western Sydney Primary Health Network, and a Board member at Justice Health New South Wales. Prior to the inspections, the Commission held consultations with a range of civil society organisations who engage directly with people currently and formerly detained in immigration detention, and written information was received from a number of organisations and academics. During the inspections, the Commission team met with representatives from the Department and ABF, as well as contracted detention services providers, Serco and IHMS; conducted an inspection of the physical conditions of detention; and held interviews with women detained at the facilities. The Commission considered the evidence gathered during the inspection against human rights standards derived from international law that are relevant to immigration detention, as outlined in the section below. The Commission’s methodology reflects international guidelines for the conduct of detention inspections, including a core focus on prevention of harm.61 This preventative approach necessitates consideration of root causes and risk factors for possible breaches of international human rights standards. Inspection methodology 19