The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has received computers and printers from UN Women and the Austrian Embassy/Austrian Development Agency (ADA) to strengthen the prosecution of gender-based violence (GBV) cases.
The equipment was handed over on Friday under the Justice4Her Programme, an initiative aimed at improving access to justice for survivors of GBV by strengthening institutional capacity and coordination among justice sector actors.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, UN Women Country Representative Dr Paulina Chiwangu said the partnership had contributed to improvements in the prosecution of GBV cases and access to justice for women and girls.
She said 427 justice actors had been trained in gender-responsive prosecution under the Justice for Her project, including 365 in 2026 alone.
Dr Chiwangu added that between February and June this year, 589 GBV cases were heard in nine courts, contributing to a reduction in the case backlog.
She said community outreach programmes had also reached more than 10,700 people with information on GBV prevention, rights and access to legal services.
“Strengthened legal aid and psychosocial support have also improved outcomes for survivors,” Dr Chiwangu said, while emphasising the need for stronger data systems, evidence generation and results-based management to guide decision-making and resource allocation in the justice sector.
The head of the Austrian Embassy/Development Cooperation in Uganda, Dr Katja Kerschbaumer, said GBV remains a significant barrier to national development and social cohesion.
She said investing in the protection and empowerment of women is both a human rights obligation and a development priority.
Dr Kerschbaumer said the ICT equipment would improve case management, evidence handling and coordination among justice institutions, helping reduce delays in the disposal of GBV cases.
“By equipping prosecutors with better tools, we are helping them work more efficiently and effectively so that justice can move faster and more reliably,” she said.
The Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions and head of Gender, Children and Sexual Offences, Samali Wakooli, presented a report on activities supported by UN Women, with funding from ADA.
Wakooli said the support had enhanced prosecutors’ skills and capacity, facilitated the development of GBV knowledge tools and supported the timely hearing and disposal of cases.
She said the interventions had contributed to improving survivors’ access to justice.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Lino Anguzu, welcomed the ICT support and commended the partnership between the ODPP, UN Women and the Austrian Embassy/ADA.
Anguzu said the ODPP would continue strengthening the prosecution of GBV cases through professional, efficient and victim-sensitive approaches.
“Timely and effective prosecution is critical to protecting survivors from re-traumatisation and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable,” he said.
The handover is part of efforts to strengthen Uganda’s justice system and improve access to protection and justice for survivors of gender-based violence.
