Justice for Her project to tackle SGBV case delays
The Justice for Her project institutionalises the hearing of SGBV cases through daily hearings, thereby reducing the backlog, enhancing victim support, and improving legal outcomes.
(L-R) Natasha Butorac, the Programme specialist representing UN Women Country Representative Dr. Paulina Chiwangu, Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija, Principal Judge, Dr. Katja Kerschbaumer, Ambassador of Austria to Uganda and Justice Sarah Langa Siu, the outgoing Chief Registrar during the National launch of the Judiciary Time-Share Fast Track Mechanism for GBV cases Project held at Supreme Court building Conference Hall in Kampala on Monday 24 February 2025. (Photos by Colleb Mugume)
By Farooq Kasule and John Musenze
Journalists @New Vision
________________
In a bid to ensure the timely disposal of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases, the Judiciary has today, February 24, 2025, launched a project dubbed Justice for Her project—an initiative aimed at expediting the disposal of the cases.
The Justice for Her project institutionalises the hearing of SGBV cases through daily hearings, thereby reducing the backlog, enhancing victim support, and improving legal outcomes.
With support from the UN Women and the Austrian Embassy, Deputy Chief Justice designate Dr Flavian Zeija, also the outgoing Principal Judge, said the project is not only a beacon of hope for the SGBV victims but will also be pivotal in addressing SGBV cases.
While also some men have been victims of SGBV, Zeija said women and girls are most vulnerable, noting that 6 out of 10 women face domestic violence.
Underscoring the importance of timely adjudication of SGBV cases, Zeija said SGBV is a barrier to equality and development.
“This project is a response to the state of affairs and the status quo must change, justice must be accessed swiftly and victim-centred,” Zeija said.
Zeija said the project will be first piloted in the High Court of Masaka and Gulu and all the circuits thereunder, focusing on areas of capacity building, institutional strengthening, legal awareness and support, advocacy, and policy reform.
“We think this model is going to help us in pre-trial preparations,” Zeija said.
Zeija said tackling SGBV cases requires a multi-sectoral approach with all stakeholders involved in the justice system.
At each participating court, Zeija said a managing team will be put in place to ensure that the project is a success.
He said the project is a departure from the session system to daily hearings.
Zeija said the success of the project will be hinged on coordinated efforts from the Judiciary, police, prosecutors, legal aid providers, and civil society, emphasising that ensuring accessibility, fairness, and transparency in legal proceedings will restore survivors’ confidence in the justice system.
(L-R Seated) Natasha Butorac, Programme specialist representing UN Women Country Representative Dr. Paulina Chiwangu, Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija, Principal Judge, Dr. Katja Kerschbaumer, Ambassador of Austria to Uganda and Justice Sarah Langa Siu, outgoing Chief Registrar joined by other stakeholders to take a group picture during the National launch of the Judiciary Time-Share Fast Track Mechanism for GBV cases Project held at Supreme Court building Conference Hall in Kampala on Monday, February 24, 2025.
Natasha Butorac, representing UN Women, emphasised that access to justice is a fundamental right and a crucial component of a gender-responsive legal system.
Butorac reaffirmed UN Women’s dedication to supporting Uganda’s justice system and urged all stakeholders to maintain a survivor-centred approach.
“Preventing, mitigating, and responding to GBV is a life-saving priority,” she added.
Dr Katja Kerschbaumer, the Austrian Ambassador to Uganda, said addressing SGBV is not just a moral obligation but essential for sustainable development.
By institutionalising daily hearings, the project aims to enhance trust in the justice system and ensure that survivors’ voices are heard.
“With more frequent hearings, survivors can navigate the court process more easily and with less disruption to their lives,” Dr Kerschbaumer said.
In her speech read by chief state attorney Anna Kiiza, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo said she was excited about the project because it will enable her office to reduce the case backlog.
“Sexual offences usually form the majority in any given trial of the High Court such as defilement and rape. Many of the spousal murder cases we have handled started as cases of SGBV and later murdered their spouses,” Abodo said.
Abodo revealed that 70% of the cases reported at police and prosecuted by her office are SGBV in nature.
High Court judge Sarah Langa Siu, also the outgoing Chief Registrar, underscored the Judiciary’s struggle with case backlog and the high cost of justice administration.
With the Judiciary choking on a huge case backlog and with only 689 judicial officers handling the caseload, Langa said the need for innovative interventions is urgent.
She noted that the project aims to enhance the Judiciary’s capacity by prioritising SGBV cases, expediting hearings, and integrating technology for efficient case management.
“This is a timely and much-needed intervention,” Langa stated.
She extended gratitude to all stakeholders, particularly the Austrian Development Agency and UN Women, for their unwavering support.
Langa said the Judiciary now seeks to institutionalise daily SGBV case hearings to reduce the backlog, enhance victim support mechanisms and ensure a trauma-informed approach, strengthen judicial officers’ training and resource allocation, and improve data collection for effective SGBV programming.
Sexual violence is equally alarming, with 17% of women and 6% of men aged 15-49 having experienced sexual violence in the past year, according to the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS).
While there was a slight decrease in sex-related crimes from 14,846 cases in 2023 to 12,424 last year, Langa said the reality remains grim, with 1,667 adult women being victims of rape, and 12,009 of the 12,317 defilement victims being female juveniles.
Systemic barriers such as lengthy procedures, stigma, corruption, and societal pressures deter women from seeking justice.
On average, SGBV cases take around 900 days to be resolved, exacerbating the trauma faced by survivors.