What’s the status of women’s judicial leadership in Asia-Pacific? 

Most recent data from the Global Progress Report on SDG 16  indicate that women remain underrepresented in judicial leadership positions across Asia, despite gradual progress in recent years.  

“In Bangladesh as elsewhere, gender-balanced recruitment faces certain systemic challenges. In the most recent round of appointments to the High Court Division, conducted through an unprecedented process of open application, public announcement, and competitive evaluation, only three women were ultimately elevated out of a total of twenty-five appointees. The pool of women applicants itself was notably small, illustrating how deep structural and societal barriers continue to suppress participation long before the stage of selection.” Said Honourable Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. 

Initial findings from UNDP’s ongoing regional study on “Women’s Judicial Leadership in Asia” presented by Prof. Dr. Diane Desierto of the University of Notre Dame underscored the critical yet uneven progress of women’s representation in the judiciary across the Asia-Pacific region. Drawing on mixed-method research, including interviews and focus group discussions with women judges, the study revealed that while judicial appointment systems in the region are formally gender-neutral, structural and cultural barriers continue to hinder women’s advancement. Deep-seated social norms, limited mentorship opportunities, and institutional conservatism shape women’s career trajectories, often discouraging them from pursuing senior or leadership positions. In contrast, countries such as Thailand and Lao PDR demonstrate how consistent merit-based systems and evolving social attitudes can foster a more inclusive judiciary. The presentation further underscored the importance of building supportive networks and human-centred judicial institutions. Establishing women judges’ associations and mentorship programmes was identified as a key strategy to strengthen leadership, promote peer support, and advocate for gender-responsive judicial reforms.  

Prof. Desierto emphasized that gender equality in the judiciary is not merely a question of representation—it is central to strengthening public trust and access to justice. Advancing women’s judicial leadership, she concluded, requires sustained collaboration, intersectional understanding, and context-specific interventions that respect the diverse realities of women judges across the region.