Court gavel. (Photo: Courtesy).

Some female judges have called for an increased appointment of women to the country’s justice system to help address their concerns.

Ajok Tito, a county court judge says despite women’s participation in the judiciary, their number is limited, and their role is still less effective.

Judge Ajok says the presence of a woman judge gives women security to report and speaks out about gender-based violence cases.

“The participation of women in public service is great, but because they are few in the judiciary,” Ajok said.

“Therefore I call for an increased representation of women in the judiciary because it is a guarantee of representation in the courts as well as addressing the concerns of citizens in issuing fair judgments, for example in cases of divorce and sexual assault.”

On his part, Juvenile Court judge Achol Daw Atem encouraged young girls, who study law to join the judiciary.

She said she hopes to see female judges in supreme court and appeal court soon.

“I encourage our young girls in society who joined already the law school to go ahead because when they graduate or reach the judiciary.”

“They will find themselves being represented and hopefully in ten years’ time, we shall have female judges in the supreme court or in the court of appeal. I want to use this opportunity to send my voice to women outside there not to fear. We have GBV court to receive cases affect women.”

Meanwhile, Fasculine Anyang Angelo, a judge at the Juba county Court says the country needs to correct the misconception that a woman judge cannot administer justice.

“When I went to worked in Terekeka, they used to call me a woman judge, not a sir judge, as they describe as they do with men therefore, the biggest challenge that facing me in this profession is being a woman because in their belief that a woman, can provide justice my nature.”

“The cases here need a woman with a certain personality and nature, because it is my duty to convince the litigant that I, as a woman, is capable of playing the same role.”

However, Gudele county court judge Julia Santino Olwak encouraged Women not to focus on the negative view of society about reporting GBV cases.

She says the South Sudan laws guarantee the protection of women.

“One of the problems that we face as judges in South Sudan is that in the case of litigation, people dressed in military uniforms always look at us with suspicion, believing that we do not have the ability to investigate their cases.”

“I tell women that the law in the country provides enough protection for women. Many times, women are afraid, despite the harm they have suffered, to report the case for fear of society’s view, but I encourage them not to be afraid of the negative views of society against the woman whose husband is reported.”

There are 13 female judges in operation 5 in the Juba Court, with four in Gudele Court, one in Juba prison, one in Malakia, one in Kator, and one in Juvenile court.

The United Nation General Assembly enacted resolution 75/274 on April 28, 2021, designating March 10 as the International Day of Women Judges

It is celebrated every year to honor all-female judges who have taken the lead in the fight against social injustice.

This International Day of Women Judges is being observed with the campaign “Women in Justice, Women for Justice.