On the occasion of the second International Day of Women Judges observed yesterday, the Supreme Court of Judicature said it was pleased to join with women worldwide, even as it paid homage to its own past lady justices: former Chancellor Desire´ Bernard, Justice (retd) Claudette Singh and Justice (retd) Claudette La Bennett.
In a statement, the Guyana Association of Women Judges (GAWJ) said the uniqueness of women judges must be recognized, as they balance the roles of nurturing their families, while still performing at a high level at work.
In her message to mark the observance, Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards, said that “women have fought long and hard to prove that they belong to all places and institutions where decisions are being made.”
“We are truly grateful by the recognition given to women Judges for their work. Their immense contribution and continued commitment to the rule of law, access to justice and ensuring fair and equal justice for all, are being recognized,” she said.
She said that March 10th now not only raises the visibility of women judges, but also provides “added impetus for us to continue to serve as an inspiration to young women and girls.”
Against this background she then went on to add, “We join with our sisters in judiciaries across the world to work even harder towards eradicating gender inequality and other related challenges in the justice system.”
She quoted past President Vanessa Ruiz, of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) who declared “This day is recognized by the highest authority representing all countries of the world that women have a fundamental right to develop their skills and fully participate in positions of responsibility without gender discrimination or gender bias, including the judiciary.”
On that point, Chancellor Cummings-Edwards said that the role of the United Nations must be applauded for its recognition of the importance of Women Judges and its adoption of the resolution to mark International Day of Women Judges, noting it is a “monumental achievement for women worldwide.”
She said that the judiciary of Guyana is “commendably represented by women,” while going on to add, “there are more women than men as Judges and Magistrates and women are at the highest level of decision making. The senior judicial leadership positions held by the Chancellor, the Chief Justice, the Registrar and the Chief Magistrate, are all women.”
In honouring the past judges, Chancellor Cummings-Edwards they have not only “served before us [but] paved the way for us to follow.”
“We salute the women judges and magistrates in our justice system,” she said.
For its part, the GAWJ said that there are several international and regional organizations which promote the empowerment of women. One such it said, is the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) “which provides an opportunity for Judges to network with Judges from all levels of the Judiciary worldwide and to meet in countries all over the world.”
The release said that this network provides a forum where issues can be ventilated in a way that they cannot be dealt with in other countries; adding that apart from educating Judges in various subject areas of the law, this organization also addresses issues of gender-based violence, Human Trafficking, early and forced marriage, corruption, and discrimination in employment.
The annual conferences of the IAWJ address these issues the release said, and provide a safe forum for Judges to address challenges faced as women in the Judiciary and possible solutions; while noting that the recognition that Women Judges should be celebrated worldwide is important because they play a key role in the judiciaries they serve.
“As we celebrate today, we must recognize the uniqueness of Women Judges and the role they play in nurturing their families, while still performing at a high level at work. Balancing these two responsibilities is never easy and sometimes can be overwhelming but women judges do it daily. Therefore, the importance of women getting together cannot be overemphasized. They can learn from their predecessors the best practices which are needed to succeed,” the release said.
The GAWJ said that the local Judiciary has developed tremendously from the time when its first woman Judge was elected to the High Court in 1980; to women in Guyana now representing 60% of the Judiciary.
“This is reflected in the hierarchy of our Judiciary where women Judges are in the majority,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL), also to mark this year’s observances, underscored what it said were new norms in the judiciary in Guyana spearheaded by the women at the helm, through innovation and technology with the implementation of virtual courts and electronic notice boards.
The establishment of the Judicial Service Commission it said is a reinforcement of a strong judiciary, essential to ensure an efficient justice system; while adding that it supports Chancellor Cummings-Edwards and Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George and commends them for their hard work.
President of the GAWJ, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan noted, however, that while there is much to boast, there is still work to be done to overcome challenges.
Against this background she said “although we boast of the inclusivity of women in our Judiciary and the significant strides which have been made, we cannot turn a blind eye to what is happening elsewhere.”
We do recognize the possible threat to the Rule of Law and to the important component of the Independence of the Judiciary. We saw that over the past years, there were several challenges faced by women Judges internationally. There is still more work to be done to overcome these challenges,” the Chief Magistrate said.
