Kathmandu, March 8:

Women’s participation in judicial sector is very low due to the unfavourable education system and social environment, said speakers at a workshop on Women’s Access to Justice and Judicial Sectors, organised by the Legal Aid and Consultancy Centre (LACC) today.

There are around 800 women who have got licences for judicial practice, but very few of them are professionally involved and are in the identifiable posts. There are two women judges in the Supreme Court, one in appellate court, two in district courts in Nepal. It is 2.04 per cent out of the total number of judges in Nepal.

The legal education system of Nepal is responsible for few women in legal profession said Anita Chapagain, director of LACC. “One has to be already a graduate to pursue graduation in law but in Nepal most women get married by the time they are law graduates and this prevents them from getting into legal profession.”

She also blamed lack of gender sensitivity in the profession as another cause for fewer women in judicial sector. She also stressed on the need for revising the education system and developing gender friendly courts to involve as many women as possible.

“Constitutionally men and women are equal but this is not found in practice,” said Bishwo Kanta Mainali, president of the Nepal Bar Association (NBA). Correct policies are needed to protect women’s rights, he said.

He also underscored the need of common agenda by all professional organisations to secure women’s positions in every sectors including the judiciary.