The Ethiopian Lawyers Association (ELA), in partnership with Jurists for Children Worldwide (JCW), conducted a capacity-building training for lawyers on child protection in cases involving child victims on 1 August 2026 at Bishoftu, bringing together 40 jurists, representing judges, public prosecutors, private attorneys, legislative drafters, university lecturers, and civil society representatives.

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The programme focused on strengthening child-friendly and trauma-informed justice practices and examined international, regional and national legal frameworks, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the Maputo Protocol, the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), the Revised Criminal Code and Proclamation No. 1178/2020.

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The program addressed critical and emerging threats to children, including harmful traditional practices such as child marriage, child trafficking, online child sexual abuse and exploitation, sextortion, cyberbullying, online harassment etc. Participants explored practical measures to prevent secondary victimization, including child-friendly court procedures, trauma-informed interviewing, alternative testimony mechanisms, specialized child benches and stronger psychosocial support. The discussions further highlighted systemic gaps in digital evidence management, institutional capacity and coordination among police, prosecutors, courts and civil society, and identified priorities including specialized training, child-friendly infrastructure, digitized case management, stronger multi-agency referral mechanisms and continuous professional capacity building. The training concluded with a shared recognition that effective child protection requires not only strong laws, but also specialized, trauma-informed and coordinated justice responses.