Women Delivering Justice: Achieving Gender Parity in the Justice Sector

The equal representation of women in the justice sector is a human right, guaranteed by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against and reinforced by the Beijing Platform for Action under the critical areas of concern on Women in Power and Decision-Making and on Human Rights of Women.

Despite incremental country progress in achieving gender parity in the justice sector, women continue to encounter overall social, economic and institutional challenges to their full and effective participation as justice agents. Challenges range from gender stereotypes to sexual harassment, time poverty, limited opportunities to career advancement and obstacles to access leadership positions. In some cases, barriers have been further amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Against this background, this event will highlight the importance of investing in the equal representation of women in the delivery of justice. It will seek to:

• identify challenges to gender equality in the justice sector, especially within the current COVID-19 context;
• discuss policy and programmatic directions for prioritizing gender balance in the justice sector; and
• provide recommendations for better data, research and analysis in support of SDG 16.7.1.

The event builds on IDLO’s work on women’s equal participation in the justice sector as featured in IDLO’s report entitled Women Delivering Justice: Contributions, Barriers, Pathways. It highlights specific country experiences and lessons from Kenya and Tunisia.

Agenda 

Opening Remarks

• Ms. Jan Beagle, Director-General, IDLO

Panelists

• H.E. Iman Al Zahwani Hoemel, Minister of Women, Children and the Elderly of Tunisia
• Hon. Justice Susan Glazebrook, Judge, Supreme Court of New Zealand and President-Elect of the International Association of Women Judges
• Ms. Patricia Lee Refo, President, American Bar Association
• Ms. Gladys Acosta Vargas, Chairperson, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (TBC)
• Dr. Ruth Aura-Odhiambo, Dean, Faculty of Law, Egerton University, Kenya
• Dr. J. Jarpa Dawuni, Associate Professor of Political Science, Howard University

Moderator

• Dr. Ilaria Bottigliero, Director, Policy, Research and Learning, IDLO

An interactive dialogue will follow the remarks and panel discussion. 

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English, French and Spanish.