Closing the Gender Gap in International Justice

In this episode of Justice Beyond the Bench, hosts Jane Charles Voltaire and Amie Lewis speak with María Noel Leóni, international human rights lawyer and Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL), and Director of the GQUAL Campaign. María shares her personal journey from corporate law to human rights advocacy, reflecting on how mentorship, feminism, and lived experiences shaped her understanding of law as a tool for social change.

The conversation explores the persistent gender gap in international and regional decision-making bodies, including courts, tribunals, and UN mechanisms, and examines how opaque appointment processes, lack of transparency, and structural bias continue to disadvantage women. María explains how the GQUAL Campaign works to address these challenges through data collection, advocacy, coalition-building, and legal reform, highlighting notable progress such as increased gender parity across international bodies and historic first appointments of women to previously male-dominated mandates.

The episode also addresses ongoing obstacles, including backsliding risks, intersectional barriers, and entrenched power networks, emphasizing the need for institutional measures, sustained accountability, and male allyship. María reflects on the importance of mentorship, collective action, and building pipelines for future women leaders, and offers practical advice for women aspiring to serve in international decision-making roles.

Ultimately, the discussion underscores that women’s equal participation in leadership is not only a matter of rights, but a catalyst for stronger, more legitimate, and more effective justice systems worldwide.