International Day of Women Judges

  On March 12th, starting at 9:00 AM EST/3:00 PM CET and WAT/ 5:00 PM EAT, the International Association of Women Judges, UNDP and UN Women will held an event entitled “ Women Judges Holding the Line ” by the International Association of Women judges (IAWJ) . The event will bring together women judges and gender equality experts to examine strategies for expanding women’s leadership in justice systems worldwide . The event will also explore how the Gender Justice Platform — the partnership framework between UNDP and UN Women — supports women’s leadership in justice through institutional reforms, regional judicial networks, and data-driven accountability mechanisms Register here!

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) celebrates the International Day of Women Judges  with the story of Five female judges weigh in on their journeys on what IP means to them, and their advice for the next generation. Since 2022, the United Nations has recognized March 10th as   International Day of Women Judges . By celebrating this day, the UN seeks to promote women’s current and future participation in all levels of the judiciary, acknowledge the challenges faced and progress made by women judges, and inspire the next generation.     + Through the Judicial Institute , WIPO has the privilege of working with extraordinary women judges known for their contributions to intellectual property (IP) adjudication within their jurisdictions and worldwide. Their insights provide a spectacular window into the drive and determination required to ascend to one of the most dynamic and demanding professions. WIPO is honored to highlight a handful of the...

The 10th of March 2026 marks the fifth anniversary of the International Day of Women Judges , a United Nations-recognised day to highlight the strides women have made as judges and judicial officers across the world. It is also a day to draw attention to the barriers to advancement that women still face in achieving equal representation in the judiciary . It is worth looking back at some of the progress South African women judges have made , especially in the last year. According to the Annual Judiciary Report 2024/25 , women now make up 49% (or 122) of the 251 judges in South Africa. This is from the low base of only two women out of about 150 judges in 1994. Women lead six of the 16 superior courts, occupying two of the top four leadership positions , including Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and Supreme Court of Appeal President Mahube Molemela . The numbers are even more impressive in the lower court judiciary, where women make up 54% of all magistrates, and ten of the 14 chief mag...

Courts around the world will celebrate the fifth annual International Day of Women Judges on March 10th , recognizing the contributions of women on the bench while highlighting the need for greater gender equality in the judicial system.  The United Nations General Assembly designated the day in April 2021. It was first observed globally in 2022 and aims to encourage equal participation of women in judicial systems while strengthening their role in upholding justice and the rule of law . Andrea Plumlee, presiding judge of Dallas County 330th District Court, said the day emphasizes inclusivity in the court system.  “I think it’s a day that highlights how essential the role of women judges is in our judicial system and how it reflects the population and societal concerns, ” Plumlee said. According to Texas Public Radio , about 70% of judges in Dallas County were women in 2022. Dominique Torres Williams, presiding judge of Dallas County Criminal Court No. 4, said Dallas County...

On March 10th , starting at 9:00 AM EST/3:00 PM CET and WAT/ 5:00 PM EAT will be held a Webinar entitled “AI in the Courtroom – Women Judges Pioneering Technology for Justice .” by the International Association of Women judges (IAWJ) . Women judges worldwide will discuss how to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their judicial practice to enhance efficiency, improve decision-making, and tackle gender-based violence (GBV) cases . Today, we celebrate progress and commemorate the pioneers who paved the way for women in the judiciary. While strides have been made, the fight for equal representation continues. Let’s keep pushing for a more inclusive justice system. Register here!  

On March 10th ,  International Day of Women Judges , we celebrate the efforts to advance gender equality in our judicial system. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #IDWJ2025

Today, On International Day of Women Judges ; we celebrate progress and commemorate the pioneers who paved the way for women in the judiciary . While strides have been made, the fight for equal representation continues. Let’s keep pushing for a more inclusive justice system . Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #IDWJ2025

Promoting a culture of lawfulness . Integrity is among the core values expected of every judiciary and every judge, serving as a key ingredient in the successful fight against corruption. The monthly Global Judicial Integrity Network Podcast Series features interviews with judges and international judicial experts on a variety of topics related to judicial integrity . Please note that the episodes below are listed chronologically and sorted by language. English subtitles are available for all non-English podcasts .

  In the judiciary system , the women play a very special role. It is not about the equality only, it goes beyond that. In all judiciaries, at national and international courts, judges interpret the law, they decide about others. To be a good judge, it is never sufficient enough to know the law well. In fact, excellent knowledge of the law is an obvious prerequisite for a solid judicial performance . However, we judges should be endowed with something else as well, something that we call a sense for justice, a sense for fairness . We all may define this sense in a slightly different way. Understanding this sense reflects our education, our career and life experience. It also reflects our perspective. It is one of the most important features that brings an essential balance to the judicial decision-making processes .

The United Nations General Assembly declared in a resolution adopted by consensus that March 10th as   International Day of Women Judges . The celebration became an innovative novelty in addition to the International Women’s Day . The United Nations General Assembly Resolution sends a powerful message to the world, to all women judges that their work matters and is irreplaceable, to all male judges that the judiciary, both national and international , is not a male dominated field anymore. It is a message to all young girls and women that women judges are intensely needed to enrich the judicial field with women’s sense for justice and fairness, in addition to the legal knowledge . Women judges and women judicial leaders play an irreplaceable role in modern judiciary.