A/HRC/11/8 page 16 46. In some countries, after a child’s health, nutrition and developmental status has been assessed, a holistic programme for providing the best conditions of care, education and protection of children, including parental programmes for their mothers is designed. After leaving prison, children are monitored for some months, to help keep the mother and child in contact, and giving support for continuing education outside the prison.46 However, in spite of such exceptions, it seems clear that the right to education of such children may often be at risk and require urgent attention. F. Women in prisons 47. Women represent a small proportion of the global prison population worldwide; available figures suggest that the rate is between 2 and 9 per cent,47 with the global average standing at roughly 4 per cent.48 Nevertheless, the proportion and number of women detainees is increasing in many States, and at a greater rate than for men.49 Much of the increase can be explained by a greater severity in sentences rather than an increased number of offences.50 48. The profile of women in prison in many States is similar: most have grown up in multiple disadvantaged environments. They are often young, poor, unemployed, with low educational achievement and a lack of basic skills. In a number of States, their detention is closely related to drug trafficking and/or to the use of drugs.51 Many demonstrate mental health difficulties such as depression, anxiety and low self-confidence often related to childhood or physical and sexual abuse.52 49. In many States where educational attainment is assessed upon entry, it is often not assessed by sex. Nonetheless, where figures exist, it is clear that women have lower levels of educational attainment than men. In Mexico, for example, 6.1 per cent of women detainees are illiterate compared to 2.4 per cent of men. More generally, in England, it has been found that 33 per cent of detained women had been excluded from school, 71 per cent had no qualifications and 47 Walmsley, R., World Female Imprisonment List 2006, International Centre for Prison Studies, available at www.prisonstudies.org. 48 Walklate, S. (2001), Gender, Crime and Criminal Justice. Cullompton, Willam. 49 See Prison Reform Trust, Bromley Briefings, Prison Factfile, April 2006; Bastick, M., “Women in prison: a commentary on the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners”, discussion draft, Quaker United Nations Office, Geneva, July 2005; and “Women in the criminal justice system: an overview”, The Sentencing Project (www.sentencingproject.org). 50 Bromley Briefings, Prison Factfile (2008), Prison Reform Trust. 51 Carlen, P. and Worral, A., Analyzing Women’s Imprisonment, Wilan Publishing, 2004. 52 Garside, R., “Time to make a difference: the abolition of prison for women”, Howard League Conference, London, 27 June 2006.