The Chief Justice, Justice Flavian Zeija (PhD), yesterday convened a high-level hybrid meeting to review progress on the implementation of 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 of UN Women, the 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 the Nebbi High Court Circuit for a 12-month period ending in April 2026. The project seeks to strengthen the Judiciary's institutional capacity to identify, prioritize, allocate and expeditiously handle GBV cases, while leveraging information technology to improve case management and enhance survivor-centred approaches. Addressing the meeting, the Chief Justice informed participants that the project agreement was signed on 19 December 2025 following internal reviews and incorporation of Judiciary comments.
He noted that the total project budget stands at UGX 2.54 billion, with funding for Masaka and Gulu provided by the Austrian Development Cooperation through UNWomen, funding for Nebbi provided by the Embassy of the Netherlands through UNWomen, and counterpart funding from the Government of Uganda. He further reported that UGX 720.8 million was disbursed on 5 February 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 28 January 2026, an acceleration plan was adopted to ensure simultaneous implementation across all participating courts between January and May 2026. Under the approved workplans, the Judicial Training Institute will train case management teams and court interpreters in GBV case handling and victim-centred support, while the Registry of Communications and Public Relations will develop, translate and disseminate IEC materials, conduct radio talk shows, and organize Court Open Days in Masaka and Gulu. Finance and Administration will establish victim-friendly rooms, and the ICT Department will procure audio-visual equipment to support GBV hearings.
Regarding Nebbi, the Chief Justice indicated that disbursement of funds is pending the signing of an addendum to the project agreement, after which funds will be channelled through the Judiciary. He emphasized that there is no room for failure in the implementation of the project and assured partners that he and the Principal Judge would closely follow up on progress to ensure results are achieved.
Speaking during the meeting, Ms. Adekenin Ndieli, Deputy Country Representative of UNWomen, commended the Chief Justice for his leadership in advancing gender-responsive justice and commended the Judiciary's ownership of the project. She emphasized that addressing GBV is a justice system priority and highlighted the importance of structured reporting, performance tracking, and embedding reforms within regular court operations to ensure sustainability beyond pilot interventions.
Dr. Katja Yvonne Kerschbaumer, Head, Austrian Embassy/Development Cooperation, reaffirmed Austria’s commitment to the partnership, noting that Austria committed EUR 3.5 million for the second phase of the project running from 1December 2024 to 30 November 2027. She described gender-based violence as both a human rights violation and a development challenge, underscoring that strengthening judicial responses, reducing delays and improving case management contributes directly to public trust and national development. She called for enhanced communication, timely implementation and clear GBV case definitions to maximize impact.
The Principal Judge, Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, underscored the need for robust monitoring tools and proposed the designation of focal Judges in the implementing courts, as well as quarterly review meetings to address bottlenecks. She stressed the importance of measuring inputs, outputs, outcomes and overall impact, particularly in improving the quality of justice delivered to survivors.
The meeting also emphasized the need for a unified communication strategy among the Judiciary, UN Women and Austrian Development Cooperation to enhance public awareness and visibility of results. It was agreed that project-related data should be segregated within existing monthly court reports to strengthen accountability and performance tracking.
The Justice 4 Her Project is expected to improve timeliness, efficiency and survivor-centred handling of GBV cases, reinforcing the Judiciary's commitment to ensuring that justice works effectively for women and girls across Uganda.
Posted 19th, February 2026
