Access to the canteen and gymnasium As mentioned previously, women at the BRP have access to the gymnasium located in the Avon compound and are able to use the canteen located in MIDC South directly next to the perimeter fence of the Bass 1 compound outdoor area. Women have access to the Avon compound gymnasium twice a day for one-hour sessions at 10am and 2pm. These sessions are scheduled to ensure they do not clash with the Avon compound schedule. When attending gymnasium sessions women are driven from the BRP to MIDC South and are escorted through a perimeter fence gate passing through the outdoor area of compound, and into the gymnasium. The Commission observed that the windows of the gymnasium are slightly tinted, but it was still possible to watch a gymnasium session from the outdoor area of the compound. When asked about what safeguards were in place to prevent the women from being harassed or observed during their gymnasium sessions, officers said that they usually stand at the gymnasium door to prevent men from entering. The officers did however acknowledge there was no way of fulling ensuring the privacy of women during their gymnasium session without preventing men in the compound from accessing their outdoor area. Likewise, there was no way of preventing unwanted interactions between men in the Bass 1 compound with women while they lined up to access the canteen. The Commission’s own Human rights standards for immigration detention state that activities and recreation should ‘meet the needs of all detainees, including women...’..186 Those needs include safety and privacy. While this situation is not ideal, the Commission acknowledges that detention staff at BRP are doing the best they can to provide women with equitable access to facilities and services, within the limitations of the existing infrastructure. RECOMMENDATION 23 The Department and the Government should ensure women at the BRP have access to their own gymnasium and canteen, separate to that provided at the MIDC. These facilities should be specific to the needs of women. Photo 19: Avon compound gymnasium (MIDC) Centre specific issues and concerns 49