Zanzibar’s justice system is set to get a boost from the World Bank. The World Bank recently disclosed that new funding has been granted to Zanzibar to increase access to justice, efficiency, and openness in judicial services, for its people. This funding would be channeled through an initiative created for the country’s judicial system.
- The Zi-JUMP initiative is set to enhance Zanzibar's judicial infrastructure with the aid of the World Bank.
- World Bank’s funding aims to improve access to justice through smart court construction and alternative dispute resolution.
- The funding complements Zanzibar's ongoing reforms for accountable and efficient justice institutions.
The Island nation of Zanzibar recently adopted an initiative to help boost its judicial system. Dubbed the Zanzibar Judicial Modernization Project or Zi-JUMP for short, the program, according to its official website aims to “enhance and strengthen the judicial system in Zanzibar through the improvement of infrastructure and access to justice for all.”
The $30 million Zi-JUMP is where the World Bank is channeling its funding. The World Bank noted that this project would enhance access to justice by building five smart courts to increase the geographic reach of court services, promote the use of alternative dispute resolution procedures, and aid in the creation of a gender justice plan.
The bank also noted that the initiative will improve court efficiency by investing in staff training, simplifying procedures, automating case management systems, and implementing a performance management system.
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“This support builds on the government of Zanzibar’s reforms over several years which recognize the importance of accountable and effective justice institutions and efficient procedures that foster an enabling environment for increased private sector investment. It will also contribute to unlocking the full economic potential of citizens and businesses,” said Nathan Belete, World Bank Country Director for Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Intending to enhance the efficacy and availability of citizen-centric justice services, the World Bank has been providing support to mainland Tanzania's court since 2016. This support is provided through the Citizen-Centric Judicial Modernization and Justice Service Delivery (CCJMP) initiative.
“Among other things, the CCJMP has supported the innovative use of mobile court services (a.k.a. ‘justice-on-wheels’) for rural and hard-to-reach areas, providing easier and faster access to justice services for vulnerable groups such as women and the poor,” the global lender notes.
“The case clearance rates through the mobile courts have dropped to only 30 days, compared to 120 days in a regular court, while the time spent in a court has come down to four hours from 96 hours,” the bank further revealed.
