Women’s Access to Justice: Specialized Gender-Based Violence Courts and Survivor-Centered Reform

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 10, October 2026 | pp. 239–252

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001332

Article Type: Research Article

Title: Women’s Access to Justice: Specialized Gender-Based Violence Courts and Survivor-Centered Reform

Names of Author: Chiedza Mupfumira¹ & Henrikke Andersen²

Author's Affiliation: ¹Faculty of Law, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe; ²Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

Abstract:
High attrition rates, prolonged trial delays, and secondary victimization by law enforcement and judicial officers continue to deter survivors of sexual and domestic violence from pursuing formal legal redress. To address these systemic failures, several African jurisdictions have established specialized gender-based violence (GBV) courts equipped with private testimony rooms, dedicated prosecutors, and victim support officers. While these structural reforms represent significant progress, resource constraints, patriarchal judicial attitudes, and lack of rural court accessibility limit their effectiveness. This paper evaluates the operational efficacy of specialized GBV courts in Zimbabwe and Kenya between 2019 and 2025. Utilizing feminist legal theory and procedural justice frameworks, the research analyzes court case-flow records alongside interviews with 35 survivors, magistrates, and legal aid attorneys. We conclude that specialized courts require sustained budget allocations, mandatory trauma-informed judicial training, and integrated psychosocial shelters to deliver substantive justice.

Keywords: Access to justice, gender-based violence courts, survivor-centered reform, feminist legal theory, judicial reform, secondary victimization, Zimbabwe, Kenya

Manuscript Timeline: Received: September 03, 2026; Revised: October 03, 2026; Accepted: October 07, 2026; Published: October 15, 2026.

Citation: Mupfumira, C., & Andersen, H. (2026). Women’s Access to Justice: Specialized Gender-Based Violence Courts and Survivor-Centered Reform. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(10), 239–252. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001332

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