International Development Law Organization-IDLO in partnership with Judiciary of Uganda has expressed concern over the rising backlog of Gender-Based Violence-GBV cases at Mbarara High Court, which continues to affect the timely delivery of justice.
The concern was raised during a stakeholders’ meeting held on Thursday afternoon, bringing together key justice sector actors under the Second Phase of the Community Justice Programme-CJPII. The programme aims to strengthen access to justice for vulnerable communities across Uganda, particularly women, children and refugees.
Speaking during the meeting, His Worship Grace Atwongyeire, Deputy Registrar of Mbarara High Court, revealed that 514 Sexual and Gender-Based Violence cases are currently pending before the High Court, with many more cases still stuck in lower courts within the circuit.
She, however, noted some progress in case disposal since the last SGBV stakeholder dialogue held in 2025, especially in cases involving juveniles and refugees.
Justice Allan Nshimye, Head of the Mbarara High Court Circuit, appreciated IDLO’s continued support to the justice sector. He emphasized the need for increased investment in judicial capacity building, specialized court sessions to handle SGBV cases, improved legal support for victims, and accelerated digitalisation of court systems to enhance efficiency.
Representing IDLO, Programme Manager Samson Asiimwe explained that CJPII, funded by the Government of Sweden, was recently launched to strengthen justice delivery in rural and marginalized communities. He noted that Mbarara and Mbale High Court circuits had been selected as model circuits for programme implementation due to their strategic role in serving vulnerable populations.
The programme will focus on strengthening institutional capacity, expanding legal aid services through partners such as the Uganda Law Society Legal Aid Project, promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms, improving coordination among justice sector agencies including the Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions Uganda, and increasing community awareness on justice rights.
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