International Association of Women Judges
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| Abbreviation | IAWJ |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1991 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Binta Nyako | |
Immediate Past President | Susan Glazebrook |
Vice-Presidents | Mandisa Maya Amy Lazaro-Javier |
Executive Director | Christie Jones |
| Award | Bolch Prize for the Rule of Law 2022 |
| Website | www |
The International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) is a non-profit non governmental organization founded in 1991 whose members are judges from around the world committed to equal justice for women.
The IAWJ was founded in 1991 after fifty women judges from around the world were invited to participate in the tenth anniversary meeting of the United States National Association of Women Judges.[1] It was decided that gender discrimination in the judiciary would be easier to combat with the forming of an international alliance. In October 1991, women judges in 15 countries approved the inaugural constitution of the IAWJ.[1] Its first meeting was held in October 1992, bringing together 82 judges from 42 different countries in San Diego. The issue that interested them most was family violence.[2] Women judges sponsored workshops and conferences around the world to teach about the prevalence of domestic violence, how to prevent it, and how to enact laws to define it as a crime with penalties.[2] The IAWJ also took on a project to educate judges on how to apply international human rights instruments to cases affecting women in local courts.[2]
The IAWJ's first president was Arline Pacht.[2] In May 1994, it held a conference in Rome on domestic violence.[2]
In 2010, when the UK's Baroness Hale was elected President of IAWJ, it had over 4,000 members from over 90 countries.[1] By 2017, it had over 5,000 members.[3] By 2019, it had over 6,000 members.[4]
Structure
The IAWJ is based in Washington DC and is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation. Its members represent all levels of the judiciary worldwide. It seeks to pioneer judicial education programs to advance human rights, uproot gender bias from judicial systems and promote women's access to courts.[5] It has a ten-member Board of Directors and a seven-member Executive Council.[5]
The IAWJ holds a biennial conference, where new board members are elected.[6][5] The 2023 IAWJ general conference will be held Marrakesh, Morocco from May 11–15.[7]
Presidents
- Arline Pacht, United States, 1992-1994
- Pacita Canizares-Nye, Philippines, 1994-1996
- Susan Devine, Canada, 1996-1998
- Carmen Argibay, Argentina, 1998-2000
- Mella Carroll, Ireland, 2000-2002
- Laeticia Kikonyogo, Uganda, 2002-2004
- Jane Mathews, Australia, 2004-2006
- Graciela Dixon, Panama, 2006-2008
- Leslie Alden, United States, 2008-2010
- Brenda Hale, United Kingdom, 2010-2012
- Eusebia Munuo, Tanzania, 2012-2014
- Teresita de Castro, Philippines, 2014-2016
- Susana Medina de Rizzo, Argentina, 2016-2018
- Vanessa Ruiz, United States, 2018-2020
- Susan Glazebrook, New Zealand, 2020 - 2022
- Binta Nyako, Nigeria, 2023–present
- Mina Sougrati, Morocco, President-elect