[{"bbox": [97, 172, 454, 200], "category": "Section-header", "text": "Justice delivery and access to justice"}, {"bbox": [97, 217, 1164, 297], "category": "Text", "text": "Despite the Justice Service Commission (JSC) efforts to improve justice delivery there are several challenges that negatively affect justice delivery in the Magistrates and customary Courts (Zimbabwe's first instance courts at local level). For example:"}, {"bbox": [141, 315, 1164, 369], "category": "List-item", "text": "(i) Inadequate resources have resulted in high staff turnover, limited access to modern tools of trade and lack of continuous professional training."}, {"bbox": [141, 369, 1164, 473], "category": "List-item", "text": "(ii) The JSC has also created a Judicial Training institute to ensure sustainable continuous professional development; however, it is still in its infancy and requires support in development of curriculum, including gender equality, HRBA and rights of persons with disabilities, accessible e-learning platforms and other tools."}, {"bbox": [141, 474, 1164, 555], "category": "List-item", "text": "(iii) The digitalization of justice platforms should help resolve access issues and contribute to enhanced transparency and accountability but have also had unintended negative consequences of widening the digital divide."}, {"bbox": [141, 555, 1164, 715], "category": "List-item", "text": "(iv) Challenges affecting customary courts include poor record keeping, incorrect interpretation of the law, limited knowledge on constitutional rights particularly on gender issues and women's rights as well as on rights and needs of persons with disabilities. They usually preside over private disputes such as inheritance and domestic disputes and also land use disputes and violations of environmental protection practices. All these are of importance to rural communities that if not addressed it affects their participation in public life."}, {"bbox": [97, 731, 1164, 972], "category": "Text", "text": "The Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs (MoJPLA) is an important institution for this action as it administers most of the laws relating to anti-corruption, however they face multiple challenges including political bias, limited citizen engagement, limited capacity of staff and availability of communication support such as sign language interpretation for example. The MoJPLA is also the co-chair of the Governance Track of the Arrears clearance process and in need of capacity building on the technical aspects to measure progress on the envisaged reforms. Despite efforts to decentralise to district level, the MoJLPA's Legal Aid Directorate (LAD) remains largely distant and unheard of in rural communities, yet there are high cases of child marriages and gender based violence in most rural provinces. The Legal Aid Act is in need of reform as well as alignment to the Constitution. The scourge of underfunding, poor working conditions for staff thus resulting in high staff turnover continues to stalk Legal Aid."}, {"bbox": [97, 989, 376, 1017], "category": "Section-header", "text": "Challenges affecting citizens"}, {"bbox": [97, 1034, 1164, 1328], "category": "Text", "text": "Citizens individually and collectively have played an important role in promoting enhanced public oversight with positive results from their public interest litigation and advocacy. There is still lack of knowledge and skills, but also financial and technical resources, especially from women, youth and persons with disabilities' led Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on their rights and roles as oversight institutions. Accessing information from public institutions is difficult especially for persons with disabilities, thus in most cases they do not have sufficient evidence to inform their actions. As these institutions digitalise there has been exclusion of women, persons with disabilities and people living in rural areas because of low digital literacy, limited access to digital tools and connectivity and inaccessible digital platforms and services. In light of deteriorating economic performance and hyperinflationary environment, most people cannot afford legal services despite interventions by Government and its partner stakeholders working to assist indigent persons with legal advice and representation. This is more so for women, persons with disabilities and people living in rural areas, thus they need legal aid for them to obtain justice."}, {"bbox": [97, 1345, 1164, 1556], "category": "Text", "text": "Women bear the brunt of poor social service delivery by LAs, for example lack of water affects their domestic chores as they take time fetching for water or caregiving in case of waterborne disease outbreaks. Women, including women with disabilities, but also men with disabilities and youth are also under-represented in leadership positions for both elected and appointed positions. Participation in formal structures such as Ward Development Committees is low. Women, youth and persons with disabilities do not have equal access to land and market space for their business enterprises. Citizens lack adequate knowledge on holding duty bearers accountable and face difficulties in accessing information. Where citizens are able to organise and engage authorities they do not have the power to or knowledge on how to hold them accountable."}, {"bbox": [1038, 1682, 1144, 1707], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 7 of 26"}]