Geneva: The Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, in collaboration with the Supreme Judicial Council of the State of Qatar, hosted a high-level side event to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the International Day of Women Judges. The event was held on the sidelines of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council and saw participation from over 83 representatives of diplomatic missions, international and regional organizations, and civil society groups involved in women’s rights and justice.
According to Qatar News Agency, the discussion was moderated by Dr. Hind Abdulrahman Al Muftah, the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN Office in Geneva. Keynote speakers included Judge Dr. Hessa Ahmed Al Sulaiti, the senior judge of the Court of Appeals and the first female judge in Qatar, and Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee.
The event featured insights from Judge Fatima Abdullah Al Mal, First Deputy President of the Court of First Instance and the first female criminal judge in Qatar; Judge Mina Sougrati, President-Elect of the International Association of Women Judges; and Tatiana Veress, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Dr. Al Muftah emphasized that this event aligns with UN General Assembly Resolution 75/274, which declared March 10 as International Women’s Judges Day. She noted Qatar’s role in proposing the resolution and highlighted the principles of gender equality and empowerment of women as essential in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Her Excellency stressed the importance of women’s representation in the judiciary, which can strengthen trust in the justice system and enhance women’s access to justice. Despite equal entry rates into law schools, women face barriers to entering the judiciary and are underrepresented as judges globally.
Judge Dr. Hessa Ahmed Al Sulaiti shared Qatar’s progress, with women representing 13 percent of judges, and plans to increase this to 30 percent by 2030. She attributed this advancement to Qatar’s societal and religious values and support from leadership, including HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to empowering women in the judiciary and noted the ratification of CEDAW in 2009 as a pivotal moment. She highlighted the social and cultural challenges faced by Qatari women judges and the ongoing goal to raise women’s representation in the judiciary to 30 percent by 2030.
Judge Fatima Abdullah Al Mal discussed her experiences as a criminal judge and the psychological challenges of handling complex cases. She emphasized the support from Qatar’s leadership and judiciary, which has enabled her success.
Judge Mina Sougrati and Tatiana Veress highlighted the importance of international cooperation and practical steps to empower women judges. Veress provided recommendations for creating supportive environments within judicial systems and emphasized the role of judicial integrity in achieving justice.
This event marks the continued efforts to enhance women’s presence in the judicial field, initiated by Qatar’s proposal leading to the establishment of the International Day of Women Judges by the United Nations General Assembly.