Can a justice system without women bring justice to women?

• The latest India Justice Report (IJR) points out that the gender gap remains wide in each of the subsystems that make up the justice delivery system — police, judiciary, prisons, legal aid, and human rights commissions.

Key highlights

• A new report, the India Justice Report (IJR), reveals a concerning lack of women throughout India's justice system.
• This is despite quotas meant to increase female participation.
• The report shows a significant gender gap across all areas of the justice system, including police, courts, prisons, and human rights commissions.
• While quotas have helped some women enter the system, they are mostly concentrated in lower-level positions.

The data is stark:

• Only about 3 lakh (300,000) women work in the entire justice system.
• Even in the judiciary, the numbers dwindle as you move up the ranks. Just 13% of high court judges are women, and the Supreme Court has only three female judges. There has never been a woman Chief Justice of India.
• The report also criticizes the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for its lack of gender diversity.
• The NHRC has never had a woman commissioner, and only six state human rights commissions have women members or secretaries.

This lack of women in leadership roles:

• suggests a broader apathy towards gender equality within these institutions.
• The report criticizes decision-makers for deflecting responsibility and failing to take proactive steps to address the imbalance.
• The report argues that a more diverse justice system would benefit everyone.
• Research shows that workplaces with greater diversity are more effective.
• Including women would bring new perspectives and experiences, leading to a more well-rounded understanding of complex issues.
• A more inclusive justice system would also be seen as more legitimate and trustworthy by the public. People are more likely to trust a system that reflects the society it serves.

The report concludes with a call for action.

• Justice institutions need to be prepared to address the challenges that prevent women from fully participating in the system.
• This requires a thorough review of existing structures and practices to identify and eliminate barriers to women's advancement.