Spotlight on Gender: Gender and Access to Justice
Women’s access to justice is affected by gender discrimination much like women’s access to services, safety, economic stability, and education. Ensuring access to justice, as a judge, often means raising questions about how the case got to court, questioning the agreements made between lawyers, offering referrals to legal and social supports, and allowing witnesses to speak directly to explain their needs and the pressures they have felt. The judiciary must not only be sure that their courtroom is free of discrimination but also explicitly state their commitment to equality and address access to justice for women. This Issue Brief explores the issues, provides resources and identifies actions for individual judges and judiciaries.
About the Gender and Judicial Excellence resource: JIN ASEAN consulted judges in the region, collected best practices, and prepared seven Issue Briefs that will be published in the JIN ASEAN newsletter. Pursuing judicial excellence through this combination of individual and peer learning, and institutional reflection is part of the ongoing efforts of judicial leaders to meaningfully address the needs of everyone appearing in their courts.
|
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam have joined JIN ASEAN with Lao PDR exploring membership. JIN ASEAN engages judges by conducting research, holding events and responding to the needs identified by those involved. 
