KARACHI (ENN) Sindh High Court Bar Association organized a seminar on “Redressing Gender Imbalance at the Bench and Bar” at Shuhda-e-Quetta Hall, Sindh High Court, Karachi. The keynote speaker of the Seminar was Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Judge, Lahore High Court.
In her keynote speech, Justice Ms. Malik asked the participants to discourage Gender Stereotypes and make sure that women are mainstreamed for rule of law, peace and prosperity in the country. She was of the view that women Judges can create deference through their judgments and can impress the policy makers on positive role of women if appointed at responsible positions.
Ms Malik added that Sexual Harassment exist at all levels which discourages women to live free and demand their rights. She also confessed that there are biases and discrimination between women and men judges.
While telling her personal life experiences, she said, “I also perform multi tasks. I am mother, I am also a wife. My husband many times ask me to bring his shoes his clothes and his socks. I provide him happily” She continued, “being mother, I never missed parents- teachers meeting in my baby’s school. I am very happy to serve as a justice and also a family member”.
Justice Ayesha said that during ongoing COVID situation, women are more vulnerable and have to take many additional responsibilities.
She said that if you are positive, you can create difference. She advised that young female Lawyers must me be gender sensitized. She shared that during her career, many fellow Lawyers ask her many times that women have their designated gender roles and women should stick to that role and leave the rest to men. She said that this is stereotype behaviour in our society. Women have proved their potential in every field whenever they found the opportunity to serve in any capacity.
She asked the women Lawyers to be always positive and assist other women to join Bench and Bar. She promised to try to create as many spaces for women in judiciary as possible.
Justice (R) Majida Rizvi, Pakistan; Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed, President, SHCBA; Barrister Umar Soomro, General Secretary SHCBA; Naeem Qureshi, President Karachi Bar Association, Malik Tahir Iqbal, CEO of LRF and a number of senior lawyers and judges were present.
