Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka and Sharon Jiyamwa
ZIMBABWE has taken a major step towards modernising its justice delivery system following the handover of a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Digital Case Management System server to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), a development expected to improve the investigation and prosecution of sexual and gender-based violence cases.
Zimbabwe becomes the first country in Southern Africa to implement the digital case management model, which is expected to enhance efficiency, accountability and coordination within the justice system.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Deputy Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mr Nobert Mazungunye described the new digital infrastructure as a strategic investment in the administration of justice and a significant milestone in the country’s judicial reform agenda.
He said the system would address longstanding challenges such as delays in investigations, fragmented record-keeping, cumbersome manual processes and lengthy case resolution, all of which have often compounded the trauma experienced by survivors of gender-based violence.
“The transfer of the Digital Case Management System infrastructure to the National Prosecuting Authority is more than the delivery of technological equipment,” he said.
“It is a strategic investment in the administration of justice and a reaffirmation of our collective aspiration that every citizen, particularly survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, has access to justice that is timely, effective and dignified.”
He said the platform marked a turning point in Zimbabwe’s efforts to leverage technology to strengthen justice delivery, improve institutional efficiency and ensure that survivors were no longer disadvantaged by administrative shortcomings.
Mr Mazungunye said the initiative was aligned with the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law and access to justice, while also supporting Government reforms under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which prioritises digital transformation, good governance and gender equality.
The digital platform introduces a secure system that enables efficient case management from reporting through prosecution, while protecting confidential records, improving coordination among justice sector institutions and allowing real-time monitoring of cases.
He said the availability of reliable digital information would also support evidence-based policy formulation, better resource allocation and more effective interventions to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
Mr Mazungunye commended the collaboration between Government institutions and development partners that made the initiative possible, expressing gratitude to UN Women, the German development agency GIZ, the Government of Italy and other cooperating partners for their support.
Secretary for the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Dr Mavis Sibanda, said the handover of the GBV Case Management System server represented a significant milestone in strengthening Zimbabwe’s response to sexual and gender-based violence through technology-driven justice delivery.
She said although Zimbabwe had enacted progressive laws to combat gender-based violence, effective, gender-responsive and survivor-centred systems were essential to ensure those laws translated into meaningful justice.
Dr Sibanda said the digital system would improve accountability, modernise justice administration and strengthen the prosecution of GBV cases by enhancing case tracking, securing the digital chain of custody for evidence and promoting transparency.
She said the platform complemented the national GBV Information Management System currently being developed by her ministry, which will integrate information from all GBV service providers to improve coordination and strengthen evidence-based interventions.
Dr Sibanda said the handover of the server also symbolised Government ownership and data sovereignty, while urging institutions to safeguard the equipment, continue training personnel and expand the system to all provinces.
She also called on stakeholders to ensure survivors in rural communities benefit from the same efficient and compassionate services available in urban areas.
Speaking on behalf of UN Women Country Representative Mrs Fadzai Traquino, a UN Women representative said technology alone would not transform the justice system without strong institutional commitment, adequate resources and sustained collaboration.
She urged Government ministries, Parliament, civil society organisations, development partners and the media to prioritise accountability by ensuring the system is fully utilised and every GBV case is tracked transparently from reporting to conclusion.
She also called for continued investment in survivor-centred justice through the training of prosecutors, police officers and judicial officers to use the system effectively and sensitively, while encouraging stakeholders to use data generated by the platform to inform policy, strengthen prevention programmes and amplify survivors’ voices.
“Let us ensure that Zimbabwe’s justice system becomes a beacon of efficiency, transparency and compassion,” she said.
“Together, we can build a future where survivors of gender-based violence find not only justice, but dignity and hope.”
She added that UN Women, together with GIZ, the Government of Italy and other partners, was honoured to hand over the server to the NPA, expressing confidence that it would strengthen the protection of women and girls while improving access to justice across Zimbabwe.
