Summary
This is a report of the partners for gender justice conference on the role of the judiciary in promoting gender justice in Africa. The conference was able to provide a meaningful forum for discussion of the issues facing women in need of accessing justice or seeking roles within the justice system.
The conference addressed the following issues: the role of judges in identifying biases and promoting attitudinal change, and the benefits of training programmes and partnerships. Calls from participants for assistance with training and sensitisation programmes of all actors in the justice sector accompanied a desire for closer collaboration with civil society organisations and international actors. The important roles of specialised courts, international courts and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms were also recognised. Discussions considered regional and international laws, and the challenges facing their ‘domestication.’ Judges called for greater assistance to enable the application of international standards in domestic courts.
Participants recommendations include the formulation of standardised judicial trainings on human rights, gender and international and regional standards. And ‘action plans’ outlining both short- and long-term activities and recommendations for addressing gender justice in the region.