JUBA—The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Judiciary of South Sudan, on Wednesday launched a 30-day Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Juvenile Mobile Court at Juba National Prison, marking a major step in addressing case backlogs and improving access to justice for vulnerable populations.
The mobile court is designed to reduce case backlogs, improve access to justice, and ensure faster adjudication of sensitive cases that often face prolonged delays in the formal court system.
It will expedite the hearing and determination of 109 pending criminal cases accumulated between 2022 and 2025, many of which involve prolonged pre-trial detention and limited access to judicial services.
The court is expected to handle cases involving 45 survivors of gender-based violence and facilitate the timely processing of 64 juvenile cases, while also upholding the fair trial rights of 136 accused persons.
Speaking during the launch of the court at Juba Central Prison on Wednesday, Andrew Shuruma, acting resident representative of the UNDP South Sudan, underscored the significance of the initiative:
“Today’s event marks an important milestone in our collective efforts to ensure that justice is accessible, timely, and responsive to the needs of all people, particularly women, children, and other vulnerable groups who often face significant barriers in accessing justice services,” Shuruma said.
He said the deployment of this mobile court demonstrates a shared commitment to addressing case backlogs, reducing prolonged pretrial detention, and ensuring that justice is not delayed for those who need it most.
For his part, Justice William Kaya Pacifico, representing the Judiciary of South Sudan, welcomed the move, saying it will bring court services closer to prisoners.
“This is the second mobile court within a short period at the Juba Central Prison, an indication of how much the judiciary is concerned about the situation (backlog of cases) in this prison,” Kaya said.
He revealed that the judiciary is currently recruiting new judges, which will eradicate the issue of delays and backlogs for good.
“As for my colleagues participating in this mobile court, we expect you to do your best, and to our development partners, thank you for your relentless support to the judiciary, knowing that we still count on you.”
The Mobile Court will officially commence hearings on 11 June 2026 and conclude operations on 22 July 2026, operating within Juba National Prison to ensure direct and efficient access to detainees and case proceedings.
This initiative forms part of UNDP’s broader efforts to strengthen the rule of law, enhance human rights protections, and expand access to justice in South Sudan, particularly for women, children, and marginalized communities.
