Gender equality and an effective judiciary are both essential to achieving economic development and building strong societies. The Joint Conference of the Judiciary of the Republic of Tanzania and the World Bank on Gender and the Judiciary in Africa on June 10-14, 2018, will bring together Chief Justices, Judges, Magistrates and concerned stakeholders to discuss ways in which the judiciary can not only guarantee the fundamental right of every woman to live free of discrimination and violence, but also promote women's pivotal role in social and economic development. Three topics were selected for discussion:
- The role of the courts in Africa in addressing gender within the judiciary.
- Women's access to justice.
- Gender-based violence.
These three interrelated topics pose challenges which traverse human rights, social and economic development, and foster dialogue within the global community. Therefore, the principal focus of the Conference will be on sharing understandings of these challenges, international good practices as well as innovative approaches and gender-specific strategies to advance judicial sector development.