Manila (Philippines), 3 July 2024 – Recommendations drafted today by women justices and judges from across the Philippines will help mainstream gender-related issues in the proposed new judicial code of conduct, currently under development. The set of drafted recommendations will be brought to the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
“The judiciary is the last recourse for those who are underrepresented. Inclusive judiciary will help uphold the rule of law and justice for all,” said Justice Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega, Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan.
A roundtable hosted by UNODC in the Philippines, provided a valuable opportunity to deepen understanding on gender-related judicial integrity issues among justices and judges from various courts in the Southeast Asia country and to learn from good practices in other countries.
The participants delved into key topics, including refining legal and policy frameworks, setting up accountability mechanisms, and meeting the need for training and education on the topic. Key recommendations include: setting up whistle-blower protection policy within the Supreme Court, instituting an alternative, informal reporting mechanism with non-punitive resolutions, and the need for training opportunities on victim-centred approaches to gender-related issues.
"The judiciary must be a beacon of justice, fairness, and equality, free from discrimination and bias. UNODC is honoured to support this opportunity to make significant strides towards our shared goals of achieving gender equality within the judiciary,” said Daniele Marchesi, UNODC Country Manager for the Philippines, in opening the roundtable.
The Philippines’ Supreme Court is at the forefront of advancing reforms to promote a gender-fair judiciary. Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo has underscored that gender initiatives form a cornerstone of the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI) 2022-2027.
This comprehensive plan aims to empower women and ensure gender equality and inclusion within the judicial system. The women judges now outnumber their male counterparts in trial courts. The Supreme Court has recently adopted pioneering Guidelines on the Use of Gender-Fair Language in the Judiciary and Gender-Fair Courtroom Etiquette. They aim to deepen sensitivity to all gender orientations and identities, reduce discriminatory stereotypes, and ensure that our judiciary reflects the diverse society it serves.
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