ISLAMABAD: Hailing the progress made by women in the legal profession, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the Supreme Court on Saturday said female representation in the judiciary and legal practice had grown significantly, enabling women lawyers and judges to make substantial contributions to the justice system.

Speaking at the National Women Lawyers Conference held under the EU-funded Deliver Justice Project at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) in Islamabad, Justice Aurangzeb highlighted the evolution of Pakistan’s legal and institutional framework for protecting women’s rights, including safeguards against workplace harassment, deprivation of inheritance rights, and emerging forms of electronic and gender-based violence.

Stressing that legislation alone was insufficient, he underscored the need for effective implementation of laws and enhanced investigative capacities to ensure timely justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators.

Justice Aurangzeb also appreciated the efforts of the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and FJA in promoting dialogue, awareness and capacity-building on issues affecting women within the justice sector.

Safer online spaces for women and marginalised groups urged

Welcoming the participants, FJA Director General Hayat Ali Shah expressed satisfaction over the participation of women lawyers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Islamabad, noting that their presence reflected the growing contribution of wo­­men to Pakistan’s legal profession.

Reaffirming the academy’s commitment to advancing gender-inclusive justice through education, training and professional development, he highlighted key initiatives undertaken by the institution, including the International Judicial Conference on Inclusive Justice and the recently launched e-course for young lawyers.

Emphasising that respect for women is both a legal and moral imperative, Mr Shah urged participants to draw inspiration from the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which embody the principles of dignity, equality and respect.

Earlier, the conference commenced with reflections on the outcomes of the previous Women Lawyers Conference presented by Sadia Hanif, programme associate at the UNDP Pakistan. This was followed by an orientation session by Nadia Ali, head of the Gender Team at UNDP Pakistan.

Speakers underscored the need to create safer online spaces for women and marginalised groups, invest in women’s leadership within the legal profession, and enhance institutional preparedness to respond effectively to technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2026