Report

Diversion of Children in Conflict with the Law in Eastern and Southern Africa

Diversion programmes in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region: Best practices, opportunities and challenges

Highlights

UNICEF ESARO in 2021/2022 carried out a study on diversion models and approaches in the Eastern and Southern Africa region – specifically in 10 countries – Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The study finds that increasingly, countries have begun to incorporate provisions on diversion into child justice legislation and frameworks, empowering police officers, prosecutors and/or judges to divert children in conflict with the law when appropriate.