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Kampala– Flavian Zeija has convened a high-level hybrid meeting to review progress on the Justice 4 Her Project, a key initiative aimed at strengthening the Judiciary’s response to gender-based violence (GBV).
The meeting, held at the Court of Appeal Building in Kampala, brought together representatives from UN Women, Austrian Development Cooperation, and judicial officers from the implementing courts.
The Justice 4 Her Project is being implemented in the High Court Circuits of Masaka and Gulu for a three-year period ending in November 2027, and in Nebbi for a 12-month period ending in April 2026. The initiative seeks to strengthen the Judiciary’s institutional capacity to identify, prioritise and expeditiously handle GBV cases, while leveraging information technology to improve case management and promote survivor-centred approaches.
Addressing participants, the Chief Justice said the project agreement was signed on December 19, 2025, following internal reviews and incorporation of Judiciary comments. He revealed that the total project budget stands at UGX 2.54 billion, with funding for Masaka and Gulu provided by Austrian Development Cooperation through UN Women, funding for Nebbi provided by the Embassy of the Netherlands through UN Women, and counterpart funding from the Government of Uganda.
He further disclosed that UGX 720.8 million was disbursed on February 5, 2026, to support implementation in Masaka and Gulu for the period February to June 2026, representing 38.3 percent of the expected UN Women funding.
Although the formal agreement was signed in December 2025, implementation had already commenced in November 2025 with training on identification of GBV cases, a GBV case census, and a monitoring mission at Masaka High Court and Sembabule Chief Magistrate’s Court. Following a Judiciary and UN Women technical meeting held on January 28, 2026, an acceleration plan was adopted to ensure simultaneous implementation across all participating courts between January and May 2026.
Under the approved work plans, the Judicial Training Institute will train case management teams and court interpreters in GBV case handling and victim-centred support. The Registry of Communications and Public Relations will develop, translate and disseminate information, education and communication materials, conduct radio talk shows, and organise Court Open Days in Masaka and Gulu. The Finance and Administration Department will establish victim-friendly rooms, while the ICT Department will procure audio-visual equipment to support GBV hearings.
Regarding Nebbi, the Chief Justice said disbursement of funds is pending the signing of an addendum to the project agreement, after which funds will be channelled through the Judiciary. He emphasised that there is no room for failure in implementing the project and assured partners of close supervision alongside the Principal Judge to ensure results are achieved.
Speaking during the meeting, UN Women Deputy Country Representative Adekenin Ndieli commended the Chief Justice for his leadership in advancing gender-responsive justice and praised the Judiciary’s ownership of the project. She emphasised that addressing GBV remains a justice system priority and highlighted the importance of structured reporting, performance tracking and embedding reforms within regular court operations to ensure sustainability.
Meanwhile, Austrian Embassy/Development Cooperation Head Dr Katja Yvonne Kerschbaumer reaffirmed Austria’s commitment to the partnership, noting that Austria committed EUR 3.5 million for the second phase of the project running from December 1, 2024, to November 30, 2027. She described gender-based violence as both a human rights violation and a development challenge, underscoring the need to strengthen judicial responses, reduce case delays and improve case management.
