International Development Law Organization

Announcing Regional Women Judges Forum (Southern and Eastern Mediterranean)

Effective participation of women in all aspects of justice delivery is an integral part of their participation in public and political life, and a valuable component of governance. It is a human right and a matter of fairness.

This right has been affirmed at the highest level – with Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 16 of the 2030 Agenda focusing squarely on women’s full and effective participation at all levels of governance as well as ensuring inclusive and representative decision-making.

In addition to its intrinsic value, there is also growing evidence that increased presence of women judges can contribute to improved access to justice for women. Increasing the number of women justice professionals contributes to the development of laws and policies that respond to women’s specific legal and justice needs across a range of issues: economic empowerment, political participation, gender-based violence, and equal rights in family and marriage.

Details:

The Forum ‘Towards a Women Judges Platform in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Region’ will convene participants from across the region to:

  • Discuss and exchange knowledge and experience on the key barriers, lessons, pathways and models to women judges effective participation and leadership in the justice sector;
  • Examine areas where the relevance and influence of women judges made a difference;
  • Identify lessons, models and approaches for building a regional women judges platform; 
  • Discuss and refine key elements of the platform, such as vision, objectives, priorities and action points toward the establishment of a regional forum of women judges.

December 14–15, 2017 

Morocco

Organized by IDLO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, under the Patronage of the Supreme Judicial Council of Morocco (CSPJ)