Assessment of the Main Factors Contributing to the Under-representation of Women Judges in the Management of the Common Courts in Georgia

In the project entitled Support to the Judicial Reform in Georgia, the Council of Europe aimed to support Georgia in implementing a strategy for court system reform and to enhance the functioning of Georgia’s court system in compliance with Council of Europe standards in terms of independence, transparency, accountability, and efficiency. The project entailed the provision of support to enhance gender sensitivity in courts, inter alia, by identifying reasons for the under-representation of women in managerial positions, along with analyzing the involvement of women in administrative decision-making process.

The ACT team assessed the main factors contributing to the under-representation of women among judges in Georgia. Within the study, attitudes towards the criteria and procedures for appointing court/panel/chamber chairpersons in the court system, as well as the contrasting opportunities for men and women to succeed therein, were assessed. Moreover, key factors hindering women judges from gaining promotions and potential measures to support the appointment of more women judges in the court system were also identified.

As a result of the assessment, recommendations were issued, including on how to address the issues identified and the most suitable measures to be taken to enhance gender sensitivity in the courts of Georgia. The assessment results could be used by the Council of Europe Office of Georgia to implement activities in line with human rights, such as the integration of gender issues and the rights of minorities in the court reform process, as well as to issue its own recommendations on how to take those rights into account.