IAWJ CSW70 Parallel Event Highlights Global Leadership in the Judiciary
Judges and legal leaders from around the world gathered in New York on March 10 in conjunction with this year’s United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) for an International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) networking reception promoting Women Judges on the Bench and Beyond: Protecting Access to Justice. The event highlighted the growing leadership of women in the judiciary and the role they play in strengthening access to justice.
The reception took place at the Rockefeller Foundation, bringing together women judges from multiple regions alongside partners from the international legal community. The event was part of the global observance of the International Day of Women Judges, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2021 to highlight the importance of women’s participation at every level of the judiciary.
A Global Network Supporting Women Judges
Sarah E. Turberville, IAWJ Executive Director
Opening the reception, Sarah E. Turberville, Executive Director of the IAWJ, welcomed attendees and reflected on the significance of the day for the global legal community.
March 10 is an opportunity to celebrate the strides women have made in courts across the world, but it also highlights the work still needed to achieve full equality in judicial systems. She emphasized that women judges often play influential roles both within and beyond the courtroom. Their leadership can shape how legal institutions respond to issues such as gender-based violence, corruption, and barriers to justice.
The reception also served as a celebration of the IAWJ, which this year marks its 35th anniversary. Since its founding, the organization has grown into a global network connecting more than 6,500 members and over 10,000 judges and judicial officers across more than 100 countries and territories. Through mentorship initiatives, leadership training, and international partnerships, the association supports women throughout their judicial careers, from entering the profession to advancing into senior leadership roles.
One such initiative is the Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) program, which Turberville highlighted:
“These programs across three continents recognize that women’s judicial leadership is the foundation on which gender equality under law is firmly built.”
The reception itself was designed as a space for judges to build relationships and share experiences across national boundaries.
“When women are on the bench, they can challenge societal norms,” she said. “They enable girls and women to envision a future where their bodies and their minds are their own and treated with dignity and respect.”
Women on the Bench and Beyond
Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh
The evening’s keynote address was delivered by the Hon. Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh, who currently serves as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and is the President-Elect of the IAWJ. Justice Singh spoke about the broader goal of gender equality in the judiciary and the importance of moving toward a future in which the presence of women judges is no longer seen as unusual.
“As a woman, I want to reach the day when I am no longer considered a woman judge,” she said. “I want to reach the day when I am simply considered another human being—a fellow human being.”
She expressed hope that appointments of women to the highest judicial offices will eventually become routine rather than historic milestones.
“I want to be alive when the day comes when a woman is elected, for example, or chosen as the Supreme Court Chief Justice, and we do not need to celebrate it like it’s something groundbreaking, because it’s already a matter of fact,” she said.
Despite increasing numbers of women entering the judiciary, Justice Singh noted that women remain underrepresented in senior judicial positions. Drawing on research from the Philippines, she pointed out that while women have steadily joined the judiciary over the years, leadership positions at the highest levels remain limited. The Supreme Court of the Philippines, which has existed for more than a century, has had 195 justices throughout its history. Yet only 18 of those positions have been held by women.
“The most surprising reason to me… is this: that women themselves do not want to put themselves up for the vacancies,” she said.
Many women judges report feeling that they must choose between pursuing leadership roles and fulfilling family responsibilities as mothers, spouses, or caregivers. Justice Singh encouraged women judges to challenge that assumption and to apply for leadership roles, sharing her own experience balancing a demanding legal career while raising four children as a single mother.
Understanding Justice in Context
Another key theme of Justice Singh’s remarks was the importance of understanding the social context behind legal disputes. Judges are traditionally expected to base decisions strictly on legal records, but Justice Singh argued that meaningful justice often requires deeper engagement with the realities people face outside the courtroom.
“We cannot continue doing our jobs in a vacuum,” she said.
Early in her judicial career, she recalled presiding over cases involving young defendants whose motivations were not fully captured in official records.
“The record tells me what happened, but I do not know why,” Justice Singh explained.
Understanding the broader circumstances surrounding legal disputes, she argued, helps judges deliver decisions that respond more fully to the needs of the communities they serve.
Building a Global Community of Judges
Throughout the evening, speakers emphasized the importance of solidarity among women judges worldwide. Judging can often be an isolating profession, particularly when courts face political pressure or public scrutiny. International networks such as the IAWJ provide spaces where judges can exchange experiences, support one another, and collaborate on shared challenges.
Events like this networking reception create opportunities for these connections to form in person, strengthening relationships that extend far beyond a single gathering.
As the evening concluded, judges and legal professionals continued their conversations, reflecting the broader purpose of the event: strengthening a global community of women judges working together to advance justice both on the bench and beyond.