Ministry of Justice has alluded to lack of knowledge amongst people in the country as one of the challenges in the access to justice.
The line Minister Titus Mvalo said this during the launch of EU funded Chilungamo Justice and Accountability Phase 2 Programme in Lilongwe saying that most people fear courts and judicial officers out of knowledge for their right to access justice and that it is the duty of legal aid bureau to educate people about their rights.
Mvalo highlighted that digitalisation is a way to go in ensuring access to justice where as files and documents will be kept digitally, its hard to compromise cases in the name of missing files.
"Digitalisation has an advantage that it will cut down on a number of costs, it will also cut down on possibilities of judge shopping for example, because the system will be like if you file your case in court the system will allocate a case to a judge, not somebody doing it manually," he said.
EU Ambassador to Malawi Rune Skinnebach conquered with the minister saying the programme will help both sides of supply and demand for justice in the country as it gives advantage to the less privileged Malawians and increase level of trust to the judicial system.
Skinnebach added that the programme will help in the footprint of judicial institutions and Euroupean Union through out the country, it will also bring true ownership to the citizens of this country, providing platform to the ministry of justice to work in their jurisdiction with no interference as well as transparency and accountability to the judicial institution involved in the programme.
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"I think it gives big impact both in terms of institutions believes, it gives hope of sustainability and ownership and it gives reason of pride for the institutions for hope, for better justice systems for all Malawians," he said.
Malawi's Chief Justice Rezine Mzikamanda, added that the coming in of second phase of the programme will help in the implementation of digitalisation in judicial system as such cases will be handled electronically speeding up delivery of justice.
"But beyond that, of course the Chilungamo project is helping us to increase court space, and so we are building courts in rural areas where we have more access to justice and that we believe will also increase the speed of delivery of justice," Mzikamanda said.
EU launched the first phase of a justice and accountability programme in Malawi in 2018 dubbed at 'Chilungamo programme' seeking to improve institution capacities and coordination mechanisms of oversight institution; creating a fair and effective legal environment that promotes and consolidates the rule of law, equal access to justice and respect for human rights and enhance civic education, awareness and capacity building to demand transparency and accountability.
The programme is implemented by the Ministry of Justice, working with other institutions including the Judicially, Malawi Police Service, Malawi Prison Service, Office of Ombudsman, Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC), as well as Legal Aid Bureau.
