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International Day of Women Judges is observed on March 10 to honour female judges and their contributions to justice and equality. The UNGA established this day in 2021, first observed in 2022.
International Day Of Women Judges is dedicated to recognising the contributions of the female judges worldwide. (Image: Shutterstock)
International Day Of Women Judges 2025: Women’s involvement in the judiciary is critical to ensure that courts represent their citizens, address their issues, and hand down sound judgements. By their presence, women judges strengthen the legitimacy of courts, sending a strong message that they are open and accessible to those seeking justice.
International Day of Women Judges is observed on March 10 annually to celebrate the female judges who have led from the forefront in the fight against social injustice.
The day is dedicated to recognising the contributions of the female judges worldwide. International Day of Women Judges also raises awareness about the importance of women’s participation in all levels of decision-making for the achievement of democracy and equality. In this article, we will look at the history, theme and significance of the day.
International Day of Women Judges: History
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to celebrate an international day to honour female judges across the globe and their achievements towards justice, equality and fairness in society. This development came after an international conference of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Doha, Qatar, from February 24 to February 27, 2020.
At the conference, the Institute for African Women in Law (IAWL) emphasised the importance of judiciaries encouraging and developing a culture of respect for women’s rights. Bullying of women and sexual harassment in the legal profession, particularly among female judges, were also addressed.
The UNGA adopted resolution 75/274 on April 28, 2021, declaring March 10 as the International Day of Women Judges. The International Day of Women Judges was observed for the first time on March 10, 2022.
International Day of Women Judges: Significance
The inclusion of women judges in spaces where they had previously been excluded has been a positive step towards judicial systems. By commemorating the occasion, the Indian government reaffirms its commitment to developing and implementing relevant and effective national strategies and plans for the growth of women in judicial justice systems and institutions at the managerial, leadership, and other levels.
How Many Women Judges Are There in India?
With the inclusion of Anna Chandy, the first female judge of a high court in 1937, the road to equal representation of the sexes in all walks of civil society in India changed.
Then, Fathima Beevi became the first female judge of the Supreme Court of India in 1989.
Several Indian women, and those around the globe, slowly added to the illustrious list of female judges, bringing balance to the usually male-dominated legal system.
As of August 1, 2024, around 14 percent of sitting judges across High Courts in India were women, but only two High Courts had women Chief Justices, reported the Supreme Court observer.
In High Courts, there seems to be only a marginal increase in the number of women from 13 percent as of June 2023 and 11 percent in June 2021 and March 2022. In August 2024, 106 out of 754 judges in high courts were women.
