Iraq opens carpentry vocational course for 40 inmates at Hillah prison

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Ministry of Justice has launched a carpentry vocational training course for 40 inmates at the Hillah Rehabilitation Prison, the ministry's media office announced. The program is run under the oversight of the General Directorate of Reform and Rehabilitation and provides hands-on instruction in carpentry fundamentals and manual skills. According to the ministry, the course is designed to build inmates' vocational capacity and equip them with practical skills that can support their livelihood after completing their sentences. The directorate framed the initiative as part of a broader strategy to expand educational and vocational training programs inside correctional facilities. The ministry said such efforts aim to help inmates reintegrate into society more effectively once released. It added that vocational training supports the acquisition of accessible and sustainable professional skills.