Across Asia, women have made significant strides in building gender-responsive judiciaries and rising to leadership positions.

In Southeast Asia, Maria Lourdes Sereno became the youngest and first female Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court in 2012. More recently in 2019, Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat was appointed as Malaysia’s first female Chief Justice. And in Thailand, there have been 4 female Chief Justices since 2020. In South Asia, Nepal saw the first female Chief Justice appointed in 2016 and the appointment of three female judges to India’s top court in 2021 has been hailed as a historic milestone.

Despite this progress, women remain underrepresented in the judiciary, especially in judicial leadership roles across the region. Structural barriers, gender biases, and cultural norms continue to hinder their advancement to senior judicial roles.

Increasing women’s representation in the judiciary, especially at senior levels, is a strategic step toward fostering a more inclusive and equitable justice system and is a key marker on the journey towards gender equality. Women judges bring invaluable perspectives that can help ensure more just outcomes for people seeking justice. Their presence not only builds trust and confidence in the justice system, particularly among women, but also drives critical reforms within the legal system.

Read more at: https://www.undp.org/asia-pacific/judicial-integrity/shift-underway-promoting-womens-leadership-judiciary-asia