The forum, aimed at har­monising judicial training across Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone countries to make legal information more accessible and understandable to all citizens, was held on Wednesday in Accra.

It was powered by the Ger­man Development Cooperation (GIZ) in partnership with the Ghana Legal Information Institute (GhaLII), AfricaLII, and Lowe’s Africa, attracted legal professionals, government representatives, and development partners. Together, they explored strategies to deepen access to justice through digital innovation.

In his remarks, Mr Stefanos Kareklas, a team leader of the GIZ Access to Justice Programme, mentioned that while digitalisation is not the sole focus of justice reform, it is an indispensable cross-cutting tool.

He stated that the digital trans­formation is especially vital for vulnerable populations, including women, youth, persons with dis­abilities, and pre-trial detainees.

Mr Stefanos threw more light on the ongoing GIZ-supported regional project, which spans Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Tanzania.

He urged stakeholders to ensure digital justice reforms are not limited to urban centres like Accra and Kumasi, but extended to rural communities, promoting inclusivity across Ghana’s legal system.

He also commended Parliament for its growing commitment to digitisation and called for stronger collaboration among all justice sector actors.

Delivering the keynote address, Director of the Africa Legal Information Institute (AfricaLII), Mariya Badeva, described free public access to legal information as a “transformative tool” essential for transparency, rule of law, and economic growth.

She praised Ghana’s progress, particularly the roll-out of the e-justice system and online publica­tion of court judgments. However, she stressed that full digitisation and accessibility of legislation, regulations, and case law remain critical gaps.