Launch of the 2024 National Child Justice Service Month at Kirigiti Rehabilitation Centre.

The Hon. Chief Justice launched the 2024 National Child Justice Service Month at Kirigiti Rehabilitation Centre. This month of awareness and sensitization on our programmes aimed at ensuring that our justice system is child-friendly. Throughout November, the Judiciary will prioritize cases involving children to ensure no case remains pending over six months. The focus includes promoting preliminary inquiry and diversion processes as alternatives to conventional court processes and punitive measures, supporting rehabilitation and reintegration of children into their communities.

As we address the protection and dignity of children in conflict with the law, our conscience cannot ignore the shadows cast over our society by the rising scourge of femicide. Women and girls in our communities are enduring unspeakable violence. This year alone, we have seen tragic cases of sexual assault and brutal murders of women and girls, crimes that lay bare a profound failure in our collective duty to protect our most vulnerable. This alarming state of crisis demands action from every corner of our society. I call upon all law enforcement agencies, agencies in the justice sector, social services, and civil society organizations to intensify their vigilance and protective measures. Police officers, community leaders, and all of us citizens must join hands to work together to ensure that our girls and women are safe in their homes, schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Preventing violence against women and girls is not just a legal responsibility; it is a moral duty shared by each one of us.