KATHMANDU – Chief Justice Bishwombhar Prasad Shrestha said presence of women Justice in judiciary would promote equal justice.
In his inaugural address to the first national conference of women judges today, CJ Shrestha further said increasing participation of women judges in the conference would have far-reaching consequences. Women’s presence is gradually increasing in judiciary sector, he said, adding number of women students in law education are also in the rise.
The Constitution has enshrined the arrangement of proportional participation and the number of women justice would also gradually increase, the chief justice added. CJ Shrestha claimed that he had initiated reforms after assuming leadership at the apex court and would continue judicial reforms.
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Padam Giri however said women’s presence in judiciary sector has not been as anticipated despite constitutional provision for proportional participation.He pledged to emphatically expedite law-making process as per the directive of the apex court to that end.
Also speaking on the occasion, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki said it was the matter of happiness to have the opportunity for organizing women judge conference. She argued that women can deliver justice as part of the judiciary even despite completing multi-pronged responsibilities.
SC Justice and Justice Society Nepal Chair Sapana Malla said an opportunity has come along for women judges to get organized and expand their network. The conference was organized to identify challenges of women judges, thereby enhancing their professional competence, she shared. Justice Malla stressed the need of dispensing justice and enhancing representation in actions based on the legal provisions.
She was also highlighting the essence of gender justice. She further said the conference will see discussion on overall issues, including promotion of leadership and meaningful and quality participation of women justice.
Attorney-General Dr Dinmani Pokharel said the conference would impart a message that justice would be done when cases were allotted to the bench of women judges. Chairperson of Nepal Bar Association, Gopal Krishna Ghimire shared justice delivered by women judges would be fairer, stressing the need of further encouragement to the women involved in justice sector.
The phrase ‘Shreeman’, used in justice sector, is an outcome of patriarchal thinking, he said time has come to review such things. Executive Director of National Judicial Academy Nepal, Baijanath Upadhyay expressed the belief that the conference would help strengthen capacity and leadership of women judges and further encourage them to involve in judicial sector.
The two-day conference would exchange experience and ideas of cooperation, empowerment and advocacy within judicial community. There would be separate workshops on the issues of unity and network building, leadership development and empowerment of women working in judicial sector. Currently, there are 43 women judges in the country.
A total of 43 women judges as well as eight retired women judges are participating in the conference. The National Judicial Academy Nepal and Justice Society of Nepal jointly organized the conference having the theme ‘Advancing Gender Equality in Judicial System: Our Commitment’. The conference would conclude on Saturday adopting a declaration.
