Daily Times

A Pakistani statutory body focusing on judicial research and reforms shared statistics on the number of female judges and lawyers in the country on Saturday, pointing out there were only 5.5 percent women in the upper tier of the country’s judiciary.

Gender disparity is a significant issue in Pakistan, characterized by unequal opportunities, wage gaps and underrepresentation of women in leadership and decision-making roles. Cultural norms and traditional gender roles often limit women’s participation in various sectors that are mostly dominated by men. The issue has been explored by the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan which has been working since 1979 and is responsible for recommending ways to make the legal system more responsive to the needs of the people. The commission also performs regular studies and reviews of existing laws to suggest amendments and advises the government on matters relating to the administration of justice. In the latest report, it revealed there are 3,142 judges and judicial officials in the country, out of which only 572 or 18 percent are female. “A total of 126 judges are working at the upper tier of the judiciary, which includes the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the Federal Shariat Court, and the Five High Courts,” it added. “Out of these 126 judges, 119 are male judges, while only 7 are female judges. Therefore, female judges make up only 5.5 percent of the total working strength of judges at the upper tier.”