Digitised trauma-informed judicial training launched

International Justice Mission (IJM), in partnership with the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), has launched an online training curriculum on trauma-informed judicial practice in the country’s courts, as part of efforts to strengthen victim-centred justice delivery and improve public confidence in the judicial system.

The online module, launched at Alisa Hotel, North Ridge, yesterday, seeks to equip judges and court staff with the knowledge to understand how past trauma affects behaviour so they can create safer, more supportive court environments, and improve decision-making.

It has also been integrated into the JTI’s Learning Management System to allow self-paced training for judges and judicial staff nationwide.

The curriculum followed 17 in-person training sessions held between 2019 and 2025, which trained 311 judges and judicial service staff, but faced limitations in scale, cost and sustainability.

The programme is expected to be rolled out in cohorts, beginning with district court magistrates, and embedded into the Judiciary’s formal training architecture to standardise trauma-informed practice across the country.

Significance

At the launch of the module, the Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, said judicial authority was founded not only on correct decisions but on fair and humane processes.

He said that when court procedures unintentionally re-traumatised victims, participation was weakened, evidence compromised, and public confidence eroded.

“Trauma-informed judicial practice recognises that the application of the law occurs in a human context and affects human lives. It does not dilute legal rigour; it strengthens it,” he said.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said the transition to an online module had moved trauma-informed practice from a series of training events to a permanent professional standard, adding that its integration into induction and continuing professional development made it a core judicial competency.

He urged all judges, magistrates and judicial staff to enrol in the programme and apply its principles in their daily courtroom work.

The Director of the Judicial Training Institute, Justice Issifu Omoro Tanko, said survivors of violence, sexual abuse, trafficking and domestic abuse often arrived in court carrying fear, stigma and loss of control, which could worsen by slow or insensitive proceedings.

He said while the country had strong laws to protect victims, including the Human Trafficking Act and the Domestic Violence Act, the lived experience of survivors in court still presented challenges.

“Law in our books is not the same as justice in lived experiences,” he said, adding that repeated adjournments, prolonged trials and intimidating cross-examination continued to undermine confidence in the system.

He further said the digitisation of the curriculum marked a shift from episodic training to institutionalised learning, making trauma-informed practice a permanent feature of judicial culture, explaining that the online format ensured consistency across regions and court levels and removed travel and cost barriers that had limited earlier training efforts.

Objectives

Justice Tanko said the programme was designed to strengthen victim-centred judicial practice by enabling courts to recognise trauma responses, avoid unnecessary humiliation and support meaningful participation, especially in cases involving trafficking, sexual violence and children.

He said the training would also reduce re-traumatisation by addressing courtroom practices that caused avoidable harm, including insensitive questioning, repeated recounting of traumatic events and failure to control intimidation and delays.

“A justice system that treats survivors with dignity is more likely to retain their cooperation, protect evidence integrity and achieve credible outcomes,” he said.

Digitisation

The Country Director of IJM, Anita Budu, said the digitisation of the curriculum would expand access to judges and court staff nationwide and ensure sustainability of the training.

“For judges, it is not only a matter of compassion, but judicial integrity.

When victims feel safe and respected, they are more likely to give coherent, reliable testimony,” she said.