Child Justice Forum
ZAMBIA
A multi-sectoral platform built on cooperation, commitment, and the conviction that every child deserves justice.
The Child Justice Forum (CJF) is an open-ended consortium of key institutions in the child justice system in Zambia. It provides a platform for multi-sectoral representation of institutions to convene on a regular basis and share information on prevailing challenges in the child justice sector in order to devise interventions.
The CJF primarily facilitates a coordinated, collaborative, and cooperative approach of transforming the criminal justice system for children — ensuring rehabilitation and protection are prioritised over punishment.
The CJF was established following a situational analysis undertaken in July 2000, by the Ministry of Home Affairs in collaboration with UNICEF, the Danish and Swedish Embassies, and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
The analysis highlighted that improvement in child justice administration in Zambia could only be achieved through inter-sectoral cooperation by relevant actors at the delivery level, hence the establishment of the CJF.
We envision a Zambia where no child is treated as an adult within the justice system, and where rehabilitation, dignity, and rights are the foundation of every legal interaction involving a child.
The CJF coordinates institutions across the justice sector, promotes diversion alternatives, and ensures the treatment of children within the system aligns with national and international human rights standards.
The Judiciary of Zambia chairs the Child Justice Forum, providing institutional leadership and ensuring the forum remains embedded within the formal justice system.
Based at the 2nd Floor, Magistrates Court Complex, Ridgeway, Lusaka. The Secretariat coordinates all CJF activities, programmes, and communications.
Over 40 Local Child Justice Forums exist across Zambia's districts, extending the CJF's reach and impact to communities throughout all ten provinces.
Ministry of Home Affairs, UNICEF, Danish/Swedish Embassies, and DFID conduct a national situational analysis revealing critical gaps in how Zambia's justice system treated children.
The Child Justice Forum is officially established as a multi-sectoral platform under the Judiciary of Zambia, bringing together all key justice institutions.
Local Child Justice Forums established across districts. Training programmes introduced for police, magistrates, and social welfare officers. Child-friendly court rooms piloted in Lusaka.
Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, supported by UNICEF, officially launches the Diversion Programme in four pilot districts: Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Kapiri Mposhi.
Training of Trainers for the Diversion Project conducted across all four pilot districts, building sustainable local capacity for child justice reform.
The CJF now operates through over 40 Local Child Justice Forums across all 10 provinces of Zambia, with support from UNICEF, GIZ, CIDRZ, and Save The Children.
Ministry of Home Affairs, UNICEF, Danish/Swedish Embassies, and DFID conduct a national situational analysis revealing critical gaps in how Zambia's justice system treated children.
The Child Justice Forum is officially established as a multi-sectoral platform under the Judiciary of Zambia, bringing together all key justice institutions.
Local Child Justice Forums established across districts. Training programmes introduced for police, magistrates, and social welfare officers. Child-friendly court rooms piloted in Lusaka.
Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, supported by UNICEF, officially launches the Diversion Programme in four pilot districts: Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Kapiri Mposhi.
Training of Trainers for the Diversion Project conducted across all four pilot districts, building sustainable local capacity for child justice reform.
The CJF now operates through over 40 Local Child Justice Forums across all 10 provinces of Zambia, with support from UNICEF, GIZ, CIDRZ, and Save The Children.
Join our mission to transform child justice in Zambia through collaboration and advocacy.