WASHINGTON: Justice Ayesha A. Malik, the first woman to serve on Pakistan’s Supreme Court in its 75-year history, has called for greater gender inclusivity in the country’s legal system, arguing that laws shaped entirely by men fail to reflect the lived experiences of half the population.

Speaking at a gathering of state and district bar association members in Houston, Texas, Justice Malik highlighted the structural and cultural barriers that continue to limit women’s entry and progression in the legal profession. “Around 25-26 per cent of attorneys in Pakistan are women, but only 2pc of judges are women,” she noted.

“The courts do not have a favorable environment for women. It’s a very male-centric environment — a country where laws, rules and policies are made by men. So, they tell you how to think. They tell you how to respond. They basically tell you how I should react when a decision is made about my gender.”

Justice Malik said her appointment brought “a new gender perspective” that she has worked to encourage at all levels of the judiciary.—Anwar Iqbal