Call for legislative, judicial reforms to encourage more women to join legal profession

Speakers at seminar on redressing gender imbalance at the bench and the bar on Saturday called for legislative and judicial reforms to encourage more women to join the legal profession and to eliminate sexual harassment from the profession.

The seminar was organised by the Sindh High Court Bar Association at the bar room of the high court.

Addressing the seminar, Lahore High Court judge Ayesha Malik emphasized the need to change the mindsets within the judiciary and the bar to make the legal profession more inclusive for women.

She also stressed the need to ensure gender sensitisation and to eliminate sexual harassment from the profession.

Former Sindh High Court judge Justice (retd) Majida Rizvi narrated the difficulties she had faced being the first woman to be appointed as a high court judge in Pakistan. She said that it was important for women in the legal profession to keep a positive attitude, no matter what difficulties they faced.

Women Lawyers Association representative Zahrah Vayani stressed the need for greater representation of women on bar councils and associations.

SHCBA President Salahuddin Ahmed and Secretary Omer Soomro said that the Sindh High Court Bar Association had carried out a long struggle for the rule of law and an independent judiciary in the country. They said the association had decided to organise seminars and discussions on issues being faced by the legal fraternity and the judiciary so that appropriate outcomes could come to resolve these issues.

They also called for legislative and judicial reforms to encourage more women to join the legal profession.