By THE OBSERVER UG
Principal Judge Flavian Zeija commended the collaborative endeavors of Action Aid International Uganda, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the Austrian Development Agency for their pivotal role in realizing the national sexual gender-based violence bench book.
Officially endorsed in 2022, the bench book is poised to provide comprehensive precedents and analytical insights into judicial decisions on gender-based violence in Uganda.
During the grand launch at the High Court, Zeija underscored the urgency of addressing the increasing numbers of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases inundating the judiciary annually. He drew attention to formidable challenges such as insufficient funding, inadequate witness protection, and a lack of legal references that have hindered the prosecution and judgment of gender-based violence cases in the courts.
Dignitaries present at the prestigious launch included Dr. Katja Yvonne Kerschbaumer (Head of Mission, Austrian Development Agency), Laura Criado (United Nations Population Fund), Xavier Ejoyi (Country Director, Action Aid International Uganda), Judge David Batema, and High Court registrar Rosemary Barebe.
Criado lauded the collaborative efforts and emphasized the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring justice for victims of gender-based violence, citing alarming statistics from the Uganda National Survey against Women and Girls in 2021, which revealed that 56% of women had experienced physical and sexual violence.
In his remarks, Ejoyi expressed gratitude for the support in launching the bench book. He underscored the critical role partnerships play in addressing the complex issue of gender-based violence and expressed optimism that the bench book would contribute to securing justice for survivors.
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