Technology helps establish first friendly courtroom for gender violence victims
By Kehad Snydewel.
Green Enterprise Solutions (Green), recently completed a project for the victim-friendly court for gender violence at the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura. During the renovations, provisions were made, and equipment was installed to help victims of gender violencew testify against their accusers in a safe environment.
The Minister of Justice, Yvonne Dausab, and Chief Justice, Peter Shivute, officially opened the renovated victim-friendly magistrate’s court. Testifying in court can be difficult and is often a terrifying experience, but this new courtroom is designed to help victims feel safe while giving evidence. The equipment to create this safe space to testify was provided and installed by Green and consisted of a Digital Recording System which allows these live signals to be stored, edited, replayed, and transferred efficiently and accurately. The installation came with the necessary training how to operate the equipment.
Justice Minister Dausab said; “The courtroom facility is an example of an institutional mechanism designed to eradicate gender violence and to protect victims. “Its design specifically eases the burden for victims testifying in court. While this burden is significant for women victims of gender violence, it is even more significant for children testifying against those who have abused them.”
This courtroom will hopefully be the first of such courtrooms across the country, leveraging and engaging technology to support victims, keeping them safe when testifying and enhancing their wellbeing, and encouraging victims to participate in, or stay involved with, the criminal justice process. Chief justice, Peter Shivute, stated: “The escalation of gender violence has become a national concern and innocent lives, particularly those of women and children, are lost because of gender violence. This courtroom will provide the necessary tools for those victims to be able to testify.”
Kehad Snydewel, Managing Director of Green, stated at the opening of the new courtroom; “It is with great pride that we see this courtroom opened and [we] applaud the ministry for having the foresight to use technology to keep victims of gender violence safe whilst testifying against perpetrators.”
