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CHANGING THE JUDICIAL LANDSCAPE FOR CHILD WITNESSES

WHAT IS THE CHILD WITNESS INSTITUTE? The Institute on Justice for Child Witnesses is a small, dynamic non-profit organisation that fights for the rights and dignity of children in the criminal justice system. For nearly two decades, Institute CEO, Karen Müller and COO, Karen Hollely, have been working to change the judicial landscape of the criminal justice system to take the unique needs of child witnesses into account. The Institute trains and sensitizes stakeholders in the legal system on how to work appropriately and sensitively with child witnesses. Its research activities seek to identify and address underlying patterns of abuse, violence and victimisation that lead to these cases. It engages youth and community groups, intervening where necessary to educate, inform and help break pervasive cycles of violence, abuse and exploitation. It supports governments, civil society and aid agencies with project implementation that is aimed at developing and strengthening legislation, policies and implementation processes associated with judicial reform for child witnesses. Vision To become an international centre of excellence that continues to strive to eliminate the abuse of children and change the judicial landscape for child witnesses. Mission To prevent, respond to and protect children from abuse by reforming judicial systems for child witnesses.

WHERE HAS THE INSTITUTE CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS JUDICIAL REFORM? The Institute has contributed towards judicial reform for child witnesses in numerous countries. The map below briefly outlines these contributions. Although the Institute’s focus has been in Southern Africa, it continues to broaden its global reach with the provision of expertise on almost every continent.

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The main areas of the Institute’s contribution towards judicial reform, as indicated on the map, are:

The development of a specialist approach to child witnesses;

Capacity development through skills training, training-of-trainers and institutionalisation of curricula at country level;

The development of best practice models for sexual offences courts;

The development of policies to ensure the effective implementation of legislation and best practice models

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The improvement of knowledge around the needs of child witnesses through evidence-based research and publications;

A practical response to the Millennium Development and Sustainable Development Goal agendas, in partnership with other established organisations; and

The development and implementation of programmes and support services for child witnesses.

WHAT ARE THE INSTITUTE’S CURRENT GOALS?

In order to continue contributing towards changing the judicial landscape for child witnesses, the following key focus areas are integral to the Institute’s strategic implementation plan:

Ensure that all judicial stakeholders have access to information applicable to child witnesses through the provision of an on-line resource platform

Provide specialised forensic nursing support to victims of sexual violence

Continue to advocate for and contribute towards the development of legislation that speaks to the prevention of and protection from child abuse

Replicate specialised sexual offences court models, including the specialisation of criminal justice personnel

Develop policies to ensure effective implementation of legislation

Continue to conduct empirically-based research to broaden the knowledge base on child witnesses.