About Justice for Children Programme (J4C)
The Justice for Children Programme (J4C) is an initiative of the Justice Law and Order Sector (JLOS) funded by UNICEF. The programme overall objective is to strengthen the justice service delivery systems to respond to the needs of children in a timely, effective and child friendly practices and procedures at both national and sub-national level. It strives to strengthen the capacity of JLOS institutions to better respond to the justice needs of all children interfacing with the justice system including children in conflict with the law, child victims, witnesses, missing and abandoned children.
This programme is implemented in in the 15 JLOS Regions covering 19 High Courts
Nakawa, Mpigi, Iganga, Jinja, Mbale, Tororo, Soroti, Arua, Gulu, Kitgum, Masaka, Mbarara, Masindi, Hoima, Lira, Fort Portal, Kabale and Rukungiri, covering 86 JLOS Districts. The regions are supported by regional coordinators through Regional Coordination Committees (RCC) at regional level, with an oversight supervisory role over district chain linked committees coordination structures at district level.
The programme utilizes criminal justice system chain linked coordination structures for advancing children’s rights and promoting child-friendly and responsive justice system for children in contact and affected by the justice system, standardizing child-friendly procedures for children in conflict and in contact with the law across the justice system.
The functions of the program are to:
- Advocate for institutionalization of diversion standards of petty cases away from the formal criminal court procedure back to the community in order to protect children from the negative effects of the criminal justice system.
- Strengthen institutional and technical capacity of the justice sector and its professionals to improve children’s access to child-friendly justice and delivery of legal services. Prioritized co-ordination and collaboration of all institutions, state and none-state actors that are involved in the management of children in conflict with the law victims or witness of crime and those at risk.
- Ensure zero tolerance of child offenders in the adult facilities and vice versa. The program facilitates inspection of detention facilities such as police, prison and remand homes to ensure children are wholly separated from adults in detention facilities.
- Support fast tracking of juvenile case in the system. The Justice for children program advocates for juvenile cases are handled expeditiously.
- Strengthen the functionality of the RCC and DCC to create a child friendly space for all children in need of justice. RCC and DCCs are the primary planning, coordination and monitoring mechanism for the Justice Law and Order at the District Level. The program focuses on improving the functionality of the DCCs in the three components of coordination, collaboration and cooperation amongst the stakeholders.
- Ensure that detention of child offenders is the last resort- The Justice for children program encourages granting of non-custodial orders by trial magistrates. There is constant engagement and advocacy for non-custodial sentences with the trial magistrates.
- Encourage police to adhere to the 24-hour rule for children in custody. The programme promotes the observance of 24-hour rule of custody in police holding facilities through supporting police to fast-track children’s cases, investigates before arrest.
- Support the resettlement of juveniles and other children contact and at risk. The program strengthens the role of PSWO and CFPU in ensuring that children in need of care and protection as well as those in conflict with the law are successfully resettled with their families.