International Day of Women Judges

  Violence against women and girls is a widespread and serious violation of human rights that has severe physical, psychological, emotional and social consequences. The process of bringing a complaint into the criminal justice system can be a difficult and traumatizing experience for many victims for different reasons. Gender bias and discrimination fuel myths around such violence which shape the criminal justice response to these crimes. Many victims never report their victimization or they have been filtered out of the criminal justice system, resulting in low charge and conviction rates. A victim’s decision to report gender-based violence and continue within the criminal justice system is one of the most important factors affecting the prosecution of cases. The way in which the criminal justice professionals initially respond to victims is critical in determining whether a victim chooses to participate in further legal action, or abandons it because she has experienced seconda...

This paper aims to examine the ways in which gender-related issues may affect judicial integrity and the adequacy of existing safeguards in promoting appropriate conduct and taking corrective action with respect to inappropriate conduct . That inquiry begins with consideration of the term gender-related integrity issues and the ways in which gender plays a role in the integrity of judicial conduct and decision-making, court administration, and public perceptions of the judiciary. Read the full Paper on Gender-Related Judicial Integrity Issues of the Global Judicial Integrity Network in English , in  French and in Spanish .

  “[W]hile there has been a marked ideological shift in the ways Judges adjudicate matters relating to gender-based violence and femicide in recent times … the fate of these victims should not be left to the off-chance that the individual Judges hearing their cases will be attuned to the sensitivities. There should be a formalization and standardization of these norms so that it is incumbent on the Courts to pay particular attention to the treatment of victims in these cases.” Conceptual framework underpinning an effective judicial response to gender-based violence against women and girls  Part one: “Judges do not enter public office as ideological virgins. They ascend the Bench with a built-in and often strongly-held set of values, preconceptions, opinions and prejudices. These are inevitably expressed in the decisions they give, constituting ‘inarticulate premises’ in the process of judicial reasoning.” Summary: While the role of the judiciary in criminal proceedings varies ...