Zanzibar — THE Zanzibar Judiciary has reiterated its commitment to strengthening gender equality within the justice delivery system as part of ongoing institutional reforms aimed at ensuring equal access to justice for women, men and vulnerable groups.
Chief Justice of Zanzibar, Mr Khamis Ramadhan Abdalla, made the remarks recently while officiating at the opening of a training session on the Gender Justice Strategy (2026-2030), held in Urban West Region.
He said the strategy is a critical tool for building a fair, inclusive and accountable justice system that upholds the principles of equality and non-discrimination in the delivery of judicial services.
"The Judiciary is determined to build an institution that promotes accountability, inclusiveness and equal justice for all," Chief Justice Abdalla said.
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He noted that the Judiciary recognises persistent gender-related challenges within society and how they continue to affect access to justice, particularly for women, children and other vulnerable groups. He stressed that addressing these barriers remains a priority under the new strategy.
According to the Chief Justice, the Gender Justice Strategy was developed to improve the working environment within courts, enhance gender representation in leadership and decision-making positions and ensure that court services are delivered in a gender-responsive manner, free from discrimination.
He explained that implementation of the strategy will focus on strengthening institutional capacity through targeted training for judicial officers and court staff, reviewing policies and procedures and enhancing collaboration with key justice sector stakeholders. Chief Justice Abdalla added that the Judiciary will establish mechanisms for continuous monitoring and evaluation to track progress and ensure the strategy delivers measurable and positive outcomes.
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"These efforts are aimed at strengthening public trust in the justice system and improving the overall quality and responsiveness of justice delivery in Zanzibar," he said.
Speaking at the same event, Justice Ibrahim Mzee Ibrahim, Coordinator of the Zanzibar Judiciary Improvement Project (Zi-JUMP), said the Judiciary has already begun initial training sessions on the Gender Justice Strategy for heads of justice sector institutions. He said the training programme is designed to mainstream gender equality across the administration of justice and will be implemented in three phases.
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"The first phase targets heads of justice sector institutions, followed by magistrates and Kadhi courts officials and finally other court staff," Justice Ibrahim said.
He explained that the training provides an important platform for participants to exchange views, share experiences and contribute inputs to further refine the strategy before its official adoption. Justice Ibrahim added that the consultative approach is intended to ensure the strategy aligns with international standards while remaining responsive to Zanzibar's legal, social and cultural context.
Meanwhile, the training facilitator, Mr Carsten Mahnke from Germany, commended the Zanzibar Judiciary's leadership for its commitment to advancing gender equality within the justice system. He thanked government institutions, private organisations and members of the public for their contributions to data collection and the development of the strategy.
Mr Mahnke said the main objective of the training is to facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences and to generate practical recommendations that will help shape a robust, inclusive and context-sensitive Gender Justice Strategy that responds to the real needs of justice institutions and society at large.
