Justice Chan Reec speaks at the inauguration of the special court on Thursday, December 3, 2020. He believes those who commit gender-based violence do it out of ignorance | Credit | Lou Nelson/Eye Radio

South Sudan has officially inaugurated its first gender-based violence court to handle crimes related to women and children in the country.

The special court was launched in partnership with the UN Development Program and the Embassy of the Netherlands.

It is expected to try and hold accountable perpetrators of gender-based crimes and try juvenile cases.

Ayaa Benjamin Warille, the minister of Gender Child and Social Welfare, explained that the court will improve criminal justice response, promote accountability and early intervention, accelerate prosecution and court processes and offer timely access to services to victims and offenders.

“Counselling will be available to survivors during the course of the trial in order to psychologically prepare and support them,” Ms Benjamin said during the official opening ceremony of the special court near Muduria roundabout in Juba on Thursday.

The Ministry of Gender and UN Population Fund estimates that a total of 6,295 incidents of Gender-based Violence were recorded from January 1 – September 30, 2020.

The court was a pledge made by the Chief Justice early last year.

Justice Chan Reec Madut believes those who commit gender-based violence do it out of ignorance.

He said: “Gender-based violence is a result of ignorance of some men who think that they are more superior to the women. I think such men need medical attention because the way they think is not normal.”

Since the beginning of 2020, Eye Radio has been reporting disturbing stories of women and girls being gang-raped by men with guns around Juba.

The latest incident happened at Jonduru in Juba recently when three armed men molested a 15-year-old girl in front of family members in Juba.