Women and the Rule of Law: A View from the Americas

On February 27, 2013, the League of Women Voters, Inter-American Dialogue, and International Association of Women Judges co-sponsored the conference “Women and the Rule of Law: A View from the Americas” at the SEIU Conference Center in Washington, DC. The event featured seven women judges from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States, as well as other legal, political, and development experts. Keynote remarks were given by Roberta Jacobson, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.

The day-long conference showcased the progress that women have made in gaining access to judicial leadership positions across the Americas and sought to develop recommendations to advance the positive role of women in the judiciary. Well-prepared discussions focused on the following themes: women’s rights and strengthening judicial institutions and the rule of law; promoting diversity in the judicial system; and the use of international law to promote women’s rights and press national governments to comply with their international obligations.

In addition to the distinguished panelists, the conference was attended by roughly 80 participants, including US government officials, Washington-area analysts and experts, journalists, private sector leaders, and members of the diplomatic corps from Latin American and Caribbean countries. It was preceded by a reception the evening before hosted by Ambassador Harold Forsyth of Peru, with featured speaker Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former lieutenant governor of Maryland and assistant attorney general of the United States.

Click here to read the report of the event: “Women and the Judiciary in the Americas: Leadership and Outcomes” (En Español)

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