their beds with lesbian, bisexual, or transgender women or women with disability who are usually roomed with them. Describing the congestion in one of the dormitories of CIW in Mandaluyong, a participant shared that in their dormitory, it is not only that two persons share a bed. There are also 130 individuals who sleep on the floor. Another participant reported that an additional five hundred detainees were added to their already very crowded facility and none were released. The same participant complained that their dormitory is built on an open creek. She noted that fecal matter passes through that area and that they are required to clean it without being provided with gloves. She added that at times when they couldn’t provide their own gloves they had to clean the area with their bare hands. This highlights the issue of congestion as well as health and sanitation. Further attesting to the issue of congestion, consultations with CHR’s Visitorial Office and with NCR female wardens in 2018 affirm the gravity of the issue. The NCR wardens expressed grave concern over the congestion in their places of detention. They are very much aware that their facilities are not compliant with international standards, and this in turn is echoed by the Commission’s Visitorial Office and CHR-NCR offices – the offices tasked to regularly monitor places of detention. For instance, during a consultation in 2018, authorities at the Pasay Female Dormitory shared that their capacity is twenty-one but their population is 307; Quezon City FD’s capacity is at ninety but their population is 1011; Marikina’s capacity is seventeen and its population is seventeen. These figures remained the same in 2019, highlighting the reality of congestion that has resulted in poor ventilation and aggravated health issues, impacting the general wellbeing and welfare of women deprived of liberty. In all these instances, the wardens raised the need for more facilities and additional spaces. Food The Mandela Rules emphasize the regular provision of well-prepared, good-quality food of adequate nutritional value. The Bangkok Rules on the other hand remind of the need to meet the nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating women. 15