Delegates from Somalia and Lestho
Earlier, the Judiciary, in collaboration with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) and UNWOMEN, hosted a benchmarking meeting with delegates from Somalia and Lesotho.
Held at the Supreme Court Conference Hall, Judiciary Headquarters, Kampala, the meeting was themed "The Role of the Judiciary in the Development of Crime Statistics Systems and Gender-Responsive Violence Against Women Administrative Data." It aimed at strengthening administrative data and crime statistics systems in Uganda.
HW Mary Kisakye Kaitesi (Registrar Magistrates Affairs and Data Management),welcomed the delegates, emphasizing the value of mutual learning and the complexities involved in data management. She also highlighted the Judiciary's use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), video conferencing, and child-friendly rooms, among other initiatives, in handling Gender-Based Violence cases.
Ms. Grace Bulenzi Gulere, (Team Leader Governance and Gender Statistics UN Women),said that delegations are visiting Uganda to learn from its data management partnership and coordination framework. She noted that the visit provides valuable insights into Uganda's successful approaches to data management and capacity building, particularly in integrating crime statistics with judicial and governance systems.
She highlighted Uganda's strong reputation in data and statistics across Africa, particularly within the framework of National Development Plans and Gender Statistics. "Uganda has become a benchmark for other countries, such as Somalia and Lesotho, who are eager to learn from Uganda's experience in developing data systems, especially in areas like violence against women and gender-based violence," she said.
Ms. Gulere also emphasized the importance of using data effectively for planning, decision-making, and resource allocation.
She expressed satisfaction with the growing recognition of statistics within the Judiciary and other government sectors, which has evolved significantly in recent years.
Leading the delegation from Lesotho, Mr. Petje Teke (Senior Inspector of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service), highlighted that the visit focused on exchanging ideas on data management and a holistic approach to gender-based violence (GBV)prevention and response. He mentioned that the Lesotho delegation plans to develop a program of action following their five-day engagement.
Mr. Mohamed Hassan Mohamed, head of the Somalia delegation, expressed gratitude to the Judiciary and UN Women for the opportunity. He emphasized Somalia's need to learn from Uganda's processes in justice, data management, and handling gender-sensitive cases, particularly in managing cases involving minors and rape victims.
Inclosing remarks, Mr. Opolot Simon Peter (Commissioner Policy and Planning Department) thanked UN Women for their support and collaboration in data management. He acknowledged their technical and financial assistance and emphasized the importance of continued support, especially in expanding the Court Case Administrative System (CCAS) to all courts. He also appreciated the delegations for choosing Uganda as a learning platform, underscoring the value of accurate data for effective planning and decision-making.
The meeting featured three PowerPoint presentations. HW Kaitesi discussed governance and coordination of administrative data production, addressing Data Governance Structures, the Case Data/Statistical Legal and Policy Framework, and Case Data Quality Management.
Mr.I saac Sserunkuma (Head Judiciary Statistics Unit), provided insights on initiatives towards strengthening planning, production, and use of administrative data on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). His presentation covered initiatives from the Former Justice Law and Order Sector(JLOS), successful collaborations with UNWOMEN, and current challenges in collecting and utilizing VAWG data.
Mr. Joseph Ssinabulya (Principal Information Maintenance Officer), delivered a presentation on Management Information Systems that capture administrative data on VAWG. He discussed the use of these systems by the Judiciary, including data management with Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS)and CCAS, the objectives of Management Information Systems (MIS), and related challenges.
The meeting was also attended by HW Akullo Elizabeth Ogwal (Deputy Registrar Magistrates Affairs And Data Management.
Also present were staff from the Policy and Planning Department, the Judiciary Data Management Committee, Judiciary Statistics Unit, Information Communications and Technology (ICT) Department, and other administrative staff.
The meeting was moderated by Ms. Chandiru Flavia, Senior Systems Administrator.
Posted 14th, August 2024
