NEW YORK, United States of America, July 31, 2026/APO Group/ —
Uganda’s Judiciary has taken another significant step towards institutionalising gender-responsive justice with the national roll-out of Gender-Responsive Adjudication (GRA) training for Chief Magistrates, building on a series of capacity development initiatives supported by UN Women and the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC).
The latest training, organised by the International Association of Women Judges – Uganda Chapter (IAWJ-UC), brought together 42 Chief Magistrates from courts across the country following a successful Refresher Training of Trainers (ToT) conducted in Entebbe on 11–12 June 2026. The ToT refreshed the knowledge and facilitation skills of previously trained judicial trainers, enabling them to cascade Gender-Responsive Adjudication across the Judiciary.
The rollout forms part of a broader initiative supported by UN Women, the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) and the Gender Justice Platform under the theme, “Strengthening Judicial Capacity to Advance Gender-Responsive Adjudication in Uganda.”
The programme builds on foundations laid in 2022, when the International Association of Women Judges–Uganda Chapter, with support from the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), developed a comprehensive Gender-Responsive Adjudication Training and Resource Manual and trained an initial cohort of Trainers of Trainers. Those trainers subsequently equipped 100 Chief Magistrates and Magistrates with practical knowledge on applying gender-responsive principles in judicial practice. The current initiative expands that work by refreshing existing trainers while equipping newly recruited and promoted judicial officers who had not previously received structured GRA training.
Since the launch of the partnership with UN Women and ADC, the Judiciary has steadily expanded the reach of Gender-Responsive Adjudication training. Regional sessions have already equipped 160 newly appointed and promoted judicial officers from Uganda’s Central, Eastern, Northern and Western regions with the skills to recognise and address gender bias, stereotypes and structural barriers that affect access to justice. Additional specialised trainings have targeted Registrars and Judicial Trainers, creating a growing pool of judicial champions responsible for embedding gender-responsive principles throughout the justice system.
Opening the training, Lady Justice Olive Kazaarwe Mukwaya, President of IAWJ-UC, challenged participants to confront personal biases that can influence judicial decisions.
“Justice must not only be done but must be delivered in a manner that is fair, inclusive and responsive to the realities of all court users. Gender-responsive adjudication calls on every judicial officer to recognise the different circumstances that women, men, girls and boys bring before our courts and ensure those realities inform fair and impartial justice.”
Speaking on behalf of UN Women Uganda, Ms. Adekemi Ndieli, Deputy Country Representative, said strengthening judicial capacity is critical to building a justice system that leaves no one behind.
“Every judgment has the potential to transform lives, restore dignity and strengthen confidence in our justice system. By investing in gender-responsive adjudication, we are equipping judicial officers to deliver justice that is not only legally sound but also responsive to the lived realities of women, girls and other vulnerable groups.”
She added that the partnership reflects a shared commitment to institutionalising gender-responsive justice across Uganda.
“UN Women is proud to partner with the Judiciary, the Austrian Development Cooperation and the Gender Justice Platform to strengthen judicial capacity. Together, we are embedding gender-responsive principles into judicial practice so that every person—regardless of gender or circumstance—can access fair, inclusive and equitable justice.”
Throughout the programme, participants engaged in interactive presentations, case studies, judgment reviews, simulations and group discussions covering gender-responsive adjudication in criminal proceedings, trauma-informed approaches, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, economic violence, climate displacement, disability inclusion and emerging jurisprudence. The refresher training also strengthened facilitation skills, enabling trainers to effectively mentor future cohorts of judicial officers.
According to Ms. Beatrice Mulindwa, UN Women’s Access to Justice Programme Specialist, Gender-Responsive Adjudication seeks to integrate gender-sensitive perspectives into judicial reasoning, case management and decision-making to ensure fair and equitable justice outcomes.
“By strengthening judicial officers’ ability to identify and address gender bias and discrimination, the initiative aims to institutionalise gender-responsive principles across Uganda’s Judiciary while improving access to justice for women, girls, children and other vulnerable groups,” she noted.
The Chief Magistrates’ training marks another milestone in a long-term effort to institutionalise Gender-Responsive Adjudication across Uganda’s courts. Through continued collaboration between the Judiciary, IAWJ-UC, UN Women, the Austrian Development Cooperation and the Gender Justice Platform, the programme is building a sustainable cadre of judicial officers equipped to deliver justice that is not only legally sound, but also fair, inclusive and responsive to the realities of every court user.
