Adjudicating Gender Based Violence

About the course

This course offers judicial officers the opportunity to deepen their understanding of adjudicating cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) through the lens of the Maputo Protocol.

Drawing on African legal frameworks and judicial best practices, it combines substantive legal knowledge with advanced training skills to empower participants to become lead trainers on women's rights and GBV within their own jurisdictions.

Participants will master the Protocol's provisions, develop effective training modules, and create actionable plans to enhance judicial responses to GBV across the continent.

 This course is designed for:

• Sitting judges and magistrates with an interest in gender justice;
• Judicial trainers and legal educators;
• Prosecutors and senior legal officers involved in judicial education.

Participants should have a foundational understanding of human rights law and a commitment to becoming trainers within their professional communities.

What graduates say:

• "This program equipped me not just with knowledge, but with the practical skills to train my colleagues. I now feel confident leading sessions on the Maputo Protocol." 
• "The focus on moving from theory to practice was exceptional. The case studies and training exercises were directly relevant to the challenges we face on the bench." 
• "A vital course for any judge serious about gender justice. It created a powerful network of judicial champions for women's rights across Africa."

Course Convenor: Dr. Mathilda Twomey, Academic Director, JIFA. With contributions from senior members of the African judiciary, academics from the University of Cape Town and other universities, and invited experts.

Course content

• Expert-led deep dives into the Maputo Protocol and the complexities of GBV case law;
• Interactive break-out groups to analyse case studies and develop legal intervention strategies;
• Practical trainer-skills workshops on adult learning principles, training techniques, and material development;
• Peer teaching exercises with constructive feedback on presentation and facilitation skills;
• Collaborative action planning to create sustainable training initiatives for participants' home jurisdictions.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Analyse the key provisions of the Maputo Protocol and their direct application in judicial decision-making for GBV cases.
• Design and deliver effective, interactive training sessions on the Maputo Protocol and GBV for judicial peers, applying adult learning principles.
• Develop practical training materials and modules tailored to diverse judicial audiences and cultural contexts.
• Formulate actionable strategies and plans to implement training programmes and foster best practices in GBV adjudication within their home jurisdictions.
• Evaluate the impact of judicial training on the implementation of the Maputo Protocol and the overall quality of GBV case adjudication.

Certification

Upon successful completion, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Judicial Institute for Africa (JIFA), Faculty of Law, University of Cape Town.

Course cost

Cost to be confirmed. Includes full access to course materials, discussion forums, and certification. Institutional and group enrolment options are available.

Registration

Register and enrol directly with the course provider. Once you have submitted the form, you will be contacted by the JIFA team to confirm the payment processing. Please note that registrations will not be considered complete until payment has been made. The course will only proceed once the minimum number of participants has been reached.

More information

Phone: (+27) 21 650 2098
Email: jifa@uct.ac.za

Adjudicating Gender Based Violence