NAN-H-84
Bias
By Edith Nwapi and Magdalene Ukuedojor
Abuja, July 13, 2017 (NAN) Justice Amina Augie, a Supreme Court judge on Thursday charged all women judges across the African region to challenge institutional norms and practices limiting self-actualisation.
Augie gave the charge at the first West African Sub-Regional Conference for Women Judges in Abuja.
In a keynote address titled the `Role of the Female Judge in the West African Judiciary,’ she urged women judges to change practices within the judiciary and courtrooms that encouraged gender bias.
“We are judges first, then women; so we must always present ourselves as qualified and competent candidates; not as alternative choice or affirmative choice.
“As judges who are women, our roles are no different from our fellow male judges; our role as judges, who are women, is to play a part in the creation of jurisprudence.
“One that recognises the importance of human rights, regardless of the field of law in question, particularly so for judges in common law jurisdictions.
“We must ensure that in interpreting and applying the law, we are playing a representative role as agents of change; that the law does not only have a human face but also has a woman face.”
She further urged the judges to adjudicate fairly, impartially and justly, but still be compassionate enough to see the human being behind the case.
Augie maintained that judges should endeavour to give parties the respect and dignity necessary.
She, however, said that they should ensure a safe environment for victims of child abuse, neglect, spousal abuse, rape and other heinous crimes in the courtroom.
“In writing our judgments, we must seek to interpret the law justly, fairly and expeditiously, to ensure that justice is not delayed.
“We must strive to ensure that we are not only applying the law as is, but adopting philosophical and normative approaches to interpreting the law.
“The end result should be a ruling or judgment that delivers justice while simultaneously building on existing jurisprudence.
“As women judges, it is also our duty to help balance the existing tilt in the profession that remains male-centered and invisible,’’ she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the West African Sub-Regional Conference for Women Judges had in attendance judges from Sierra Leone, Cote D’ivoire, Togo, Benin, Liberia, Ghana and Cameroon. (NAN)
NEO/MUK/DO/NKO
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Edited by David Onilede/Nkechi Okoronkwo