In response to the economic devastation in the Bahamas caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Synergy International Systems, Inc. is developing an online system that will enable Bahamians who lose their jobs because of the disaster to apply remotely for emergency unemployment benefits and food vouchers — something that before could only be done in person. The country faces a massive unemployment crisis as its tourist industry has been severely weakened by the pandemic.

This emergency response is part of a broader partnership between Synergy and the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development of the Bahamas to strengthen the management of the country’s social safety net system through information technology. Last month, the two sides signed a contract to revamp and expand the IT system for administering social safety net programs, including ones set up in response to the 2019 Hurricane Dorian.

Synergy has a long track record of helping countries and the international community respond to humanitarian crises. In the aftermath of major natural disasters such as the 2005 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, and the 2013 Philippines Typhoon Yolanda, Synergy enabled disaster-affected governments and their partners to track the flow of aid money and monitor the progress of recovery efforts.

Launched in 2016, the Rwanda Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) integrates all institutions of the country’s justice sector (Rwanda Investigation Bureau, National Public Prosecution Authority, Judiciary, Rwanda Correctional Services, etc.). Since then, all case related business processes of the country’s justice sector have been conducted electronically.

One such business process is the filing of court cases. Since 2016, all cases in Rwanda have been filed electronically, thus eliminating the need for citizens to visit the court in person to file their cases.

In light of the current situation, Rwanda IECMS is helping justice institutions in Rwanda to achieve more than simply increasing their efficiency.

In a “Notice to the General Public” on measures taken to prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19, issued by the Supreme Court of Rwanda on March 15, 2020, the Bureau of the High Council of the Judiciary orders “the suspension of court hearings, pre-trial hearings and scheduled meetings between litigants, court administration and the Department of Inspectorate of Courts” for a period of two weeks, until March 30, 2020. The official statement advises the litigants and the general public to contact courts through online platforms and hotlines, including IECMS.

Rwanda IECMS is helping Rwandan courts not to close down entirely. The system continues to provide an interface between the Rwandan Judiciary and litigants for electronic filing of cases, which allows the registrars to receive new cases from litigants. Moreover, judges continue to have remote access to their cases, making judicial and court services accessible to citizens even in times like these.