LocationsWomen changing justice
On the bench, for the people
March 9, 2026
UNDP's work ensures that across the world, when more women sit on the bench, entire societies benefit.
Photo: UNDP
For institutions to be effective, accessible and truly responsive to people’s needs, they must reflect the societies they serve. This means they must be diverse, with policies and decisions shaped by various backgrounds and perspectives. None of this is possible without women’s equal and meaningful representation, and the judiciary is no exception. When more women sit on the bench, entire societies benefit.
Judge Grecia Norceus has served as a judge for over 20 years. Confronting the drastic decline of the rule of law in her country, Haiti, she is fighting not only for justice, but for women’s leadership in the judiciary.
“Women should take their rightful place in justice and decision-making. Senior women magistrates, who often work quietly behind the scenes, must serve as role models. A judicial system that recruits and promotes professional women who uphold ethical standards, strengthens public trust in justice institutions and fosters social peace," she says.
Judge Grecia Norceus has served as a judge for over 20 years in Haiti.
Photo: UNDP
Breaking barriers to justice
Conservative family traditions and patriarchy are often the first obstacles women face at the start of their journey as legal professionals. Judge Eman was able to study law only because her father, a customary law judge, supported her ambitions. The first woman in her family to study abroad, she went on to become the first woman judge in the State of Palestine. Later, Judge Eman participated in shaping the design of a judicial conduct manual, setting out survivor-centred standards and guidance for adjudication free from bias. She also wrote a book on judicial codes of conduct which became part of the curriculum at the Judicial Institute in Palestine. Judge Eman now serves as the Deputy Chief Justice.
On the other side of the globe, women entering the judiciary were confronting similar barriers. Justice Shujune describes how deeply entrenched gender norms influenced appointments when the Maldivian judiciary was first established.
“Our legal profession is very young. When graduates received job offers in the judiciary, all women became legal assistants and almost all men became judges, irrespective of skills and experiences,” she says.
Judge Eman was the first woman in her family to study abroad and she went on to become the first female judge in the State of Palestine.
Photo: UNDP
To challenge this practice, she persistently questioned these unwritten systemic and institutional barriers. Eventually, change did come. In 2007, Aisha Shujune Muhammad and Huzaifa Mohamed became the first women judges in the Maldives.
Holding the line: courage, community and the rule of law
From Palestine to Haiti to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), women judges have walked many extra miles to advance in their careers. In these complex contexts, where conflicts have raged, women judges stayed with their communities, upholding the rule of law. In Haiti, as in too many places around the world, the pursuit of justice can be life-threatening.
“Most of the difficult and dangerous cases are assigned to me. I have survived several ambushes. I often change cars through carpooling. Armed men once came to fire shots at my house,” says Judge Magarette Georges from the Court of Appeal of Cap-Haïtien, Haiti.
Yet none of these dangers come up when she is asked about her greatest source of frustration. “Obstruction of justice,” says Judge Georges, resolved to confront lawlessness, whatever it takes.
Aisha Shujune Muhammad's legal career has built trust, secured lasting peace and contributed to sustainable development in the Maldives.
Photo: UNDP
Judge Magarette Georges, who works in Haiti identifies obstruction of justice as her most significant challenge.
Photo: UNDP
What motivates judges is the profound impact of their decisions and the tangible change their authority brings into the lives of the people they serve.
“I cherish the time when I was appointed the head of a village court. For decades, local women had been deprived of their inheritance rights. They felt reassured when they saw one of their own and came forward to claim justice. Having more women judges helps women speak openly about their concerns. Men, in turn, adapt to seeing women in positions of judicial authority, fostering greater respect for women’s leadership and expertise. Communities benefit from fairer decisions and a judiciary that reflects their diversity, reinforcing trust in the system,” says Judge Nelly Seya Kazadi, President of the Court of Appeal, South Kivu. DRC.
Building systems that elevate women’s leadership
Women remain underrepresented in the judiciary. In some countries in the Middle East and North Africa, they represent less than 20 percent of the judiciary, and in certain contexts their share falls below 5 percent. Women are not meaningfully present where decisions carry the greatest weight. Very few make it to senior leadership levels, supreme or constitutional courts.
Reliable data on who serves in the judiciary is essential for effective reform. Strong evidence will allow policymakers to identify barriers, design targeted measures and assess whether reforms are effective.
Such systemic change and stronger women’s leadership is one of the priorities of the Gender Justice Platform, a global initiative led by UNDP and UN Women to advance women’s leadership, expand access to justice for women and girls and contribute to lasting reforms.
With support of the Gender Justice Platform, UNDP has launched the Women in the Judiciary Dashboard, the first tool for tracking women’s representation in more than 120 countries. By transforming official data into an accessible, comparable public resource, it equips governments, civil society and partners with evidence to identify where more progress and stronger action are needed to meet the Global Goals commitment to inclusion and proportional representation.
Over the past years, the Gender Justice Platform supported the first network of women judges in Africa, for solidarity, peer support and amplified voices. In Asia-Pacific, UNDP partnered with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to advance inclusive and people-centred justice, including by supporting the Asia-Pacific Women Judges Network. Efforts are underway to formalize the Association of Women Judges in the Arab States.
UNDP has launched the Women in the Judiciary Dashboard, the first tool for tracking women’s representation in the judiciary in more than 120 countries.
Photo: UNDP
Global networks such as the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) also play a critical role in this effort, connecting over 6,500 members over 100 jurisdictions to strengthen judicial leadership and empower women judges to eliminate gender bias, challenge discriminatory laws, advance gender-responsive courts and uphold the rule of law to promote inclusive, equal justice.
Alongside the regional and national networks, such as in Tanzania, the Gender Justice Platform strengthens justice institutions from within, ensuring they consider women’s needs and provide services based on human rights. In the Maldives UNDP supports the Judicial Academy to integrate gender perspective into learning and judicial practice.
This work must continue. Systemic reforms come first; transparent, merit-based appointments and promotions, public data and gender-responsive training and standards. Empowerment must follow through, with investment in mentorship and regional networks that give women judges the tools, allies and visibility to lead. And men must step forward as allies, challenging bias and calling out harassment.
Strengthening women’s representation is not symbolic, it’s foundational. When justice institutions reflect the full diversity of the societies they serve, they deliver fairer outcomes and build trust, securing lasting peace and sustainable development.
When justice institutions reflect the full diversity of the societies they serve, they deliver fairer outcomes and build trust, securing lasting peace and sustainable development.
Photo: UNDP
Disclaimer
Accounts of women judges from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti were collected with the support of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ). The IAWJ brings together judges from all levels of the judiciary worldwide, creating a powerful network of influential leaders united by their commitment to advancing gender equality, human rights and justice for all.
To learn more about women’s representation in multilateral and international spaces, check GQUAL campaign. It promotes debate, data development, normative and institutional reforms to ensure gender parity in international justice and connecting discussions on gender equality in multilateral spaces more broadly.
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