Judicial Officials Trained to Strengthen Response to GBV and Sexual Violence
By Roselyn Oboy
Judges, magistrates and other judicial officials have gathered in Juba for a three-day training aimed at strengthening the justice system’s response to gender-based violence and conflict-related sexual violence in South Sudan.
Organized by the Center for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice (CIGPJ), the training is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Norwegian People’s Aid and Legal Action Worldwide.
Participants have been drawn from Greater Equatoria, Greater Upper Nile and Greater Bahr el Ghazal, and include judges, magistrates, court clerks, registrars and case managers from national and state-level institutions.
The training seeks to strengthen access to justice for survivors of GBV and CRSV, as conflict, displacement, insecurity and persistent gender inequalities continue to expose women, girls and other vulnerable groups to violence.
Speaking during the opening of the training, Center for Inclusive Governance Peace and Justice Executive Director, Jackline Nasiwa said a strong and reformed judiciary is essential to building lasting peace and ensuring survivors have meaningful access to justice.
Nasiwa warned that failure to hold perpetrators accountable could reinforce a culture of impunity and undermine public confidence in national institutions.
President of the Court of Appeal for the Greater Equatoria Circuit, Judge Malou Yel Akook, said the training will help judicial officers deal with the complex challenges surrounding GBV cases.
He urged participants, particularly recently promoted judges preparing for deployment across the country, to apply the knowledge and skills gained during the training.
Meanwhile, UN Women Country Director Delphine Serumanga said survivors continue to face barriers to justice, including stigma, fear of retaliation, weak referral systems and inadequate case documentationSerumaga stressed that survivor-centred justice goes beyond laws and policies, saying it also depends on how police officers, court clerks, magistrates and judges treat survivors throughout the justice process.
Other partners, including Norwegian People’s Aid and the Government of Norway, reaffirmed their support for strengthening the judiciary’s capacity to address sexual and gender-based violence. They called for stronger coordination between customary and formal justice systems, greater accountability for perpetrators and adequate support for the justice sector.
Organizers say strengthening judicial capacity is key to improving survivors’ access to justice, ending impunity and restoring confidence in national institutions.
