Sri Lanka Association of Women Judges holds inaugural meeting

Twenty-six (26) sitting and retired women judges came together for the inaugural meeting of the Sri Lanka Association of Women Judges (SLAWJ) which was held recently (08), in line with International Women’s Day. While Supreme Court Justices Kumudini Wickremasinghe and Menaka Jayasudara were appointed as President and Vice President of the Association respectively, retired Supreme Court Justice Shiranee Tilakawardane was appointed as the Patron of SLAWJ.

Delivering her opening remarks, Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe stated, “This gathering marks not only the beginning of an organisation but a collective commitment to advancing gender equality, strengthening judicial integrity, and fostering an inclusive legal system that empowers women within the judiciary.”

Explaining their role, she said, “As women judges, we have a significant role in providing comfort to vulnerable witnesses, focusing on support rather than favouritism in court and ensuring that patriarchal attitudes do not lead to victim blaming in court proceedings.”

Justice Wickremasinghe emphasised that the SLAWJ will strive to encourage more women to pursue careers in the judiciary by challenging societal stigmas and demonstrating that a woman can successfully balance both her professional and personal responsibilities.

The formation of the Association marks a significant step in addressing gender disparities in the Justice Sector of Sri Lanka. This inaugural meeting was supported under UNDP’s ongoing project, titled ‘Ensuring Justice for Victim-survivors of SGBV in Sri Lanka,’ implemented with the generous support of the Government of Canada and in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Government of Sri Lanka.

The Association complements efforts supported by the project to increase the capacity of justice sector actors to respond effectively to the issues of SGBV victims.

Underscoring the importance of this Association, Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of UNDP Sri Lanka, stated “Upon learning about the objectives of the Association, I was deeply inspired. This partnership amplifies our collective efforts towards improving access to justice amongst the most vulnerable. Their mission to drive systemic reforms within the judiciary—tackling biases and obstacles that hinder the professional growth of women judges—is both timely and essential. Moreover, their commitment to advocating for legislative changes that promote gender-responsive laws and policies will have a lasting impact on women’s access to justice that is fair and timely.”

Chief Guest of the event, retired Supreme Court Justice Shiranee Tilakawardane stated “Having a network of women judges to support, encourage and mentor each other, to share in the achievements and challenges of being women judges in their judicial systems has proven to play a real role for women judges throughout the years from the kernel of the idea to the present day. Being affiliated to the IAWJ has been transformational, providing opportunities to learn, understand and grasp the importance of substantive equality in law and in life.”

The Sri Lanka Association of Women Judges seeks to become an affiliate of the International Association of Women Judges, a global network of women judges to advance gender equality and human rights. Commenting on the importance of women representation in the judiciary, Judge Robyn Tupman, Secretary and Treasurer of the International Association of Women Judges, stated that “It seems to me is that the judiciary in any one country, if it’s doing its job properly, must always be reflective of the population it serves. To repeat that old adage, ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’, and so it’s important that we as women judges continue to promote a positive role model for young girls and women thinking of and in the legal profession, that they can rise to the higher levels of judicial appointment and to the higher levels of the judiciary. Therefore, we should encourage women to become members of the judiciary and to remain in those positions and to achieve the highest possible level that they can reach.”