Voices from the bench: Women shaping international justice

Women remain significantly underrepresented in international courts, tribunals, and other decision-making bodies that shape international law, human rights, and accountability. This persistent imbalance raises concerns not only about equality, but also about the legitimacy, inclusiveness, and quality of international justice. Ensuring women’s equal participation in these institutions is essential to strengthening the credibility and effectiveness of global justice systems.

This publication examines women’s access to, participation in, and impact within international justice institutions. Drawing on feminist legal scholarship and in-depth interviews with women judges, commissioners, mandate holders, and experts from international and regional courts and mechanisms, the publication explores the pathways women take into these roles, the structural and institutional barriers they face, and their contributions to legal development and institutional change.

The report adopts an intersectional approach, highlighting how factors such as race, nationality, socio-economic background, and professional networks shape opportunities and influence within international justice spaces. By centring women’s testimonies and experiences, the publication demonstrates how women have helped advance gender-sensitive legal standards, strengthened institutional legitimacy, and contributed to more inclusive and responsive justice.

It highlights the importance of gender parity not only as a matter of rights and equality, but also as a driver of institutional effectiveness and credibility. The report provides evidence-based insights and practical reflections to support efforts by States, international organizations, and advocates to advance equal representation and transform international justice institutions.