The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have formed a regional partnership to establish the Asia-Pacific Women Judges Network (APWJN). Announced on 10 March 2026, the initiative aims to increase female leadership within the judiciary and create more inclusive justice systems across the region. While representation has improved in recent years, data from the Global Progress Report on SDG 16 suggests that women still face significant barriers to reaching senior judicial positions.
Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla of the Supreme Court of Nepal highlighted the importance of this collaboration. She stated, “Having a network for women judges will be useful to learn from each other, develop effective leadership strategies and strengthen solidarity and collective voice across the region. This is particularly relevant when many countries are regressing in terms of gender equality.”
Research supported by the Global Gender Justice Platform has identified several obstacles for women in the legal sector. These include workplace harassment, online abuse and disproportionate care responsibilities. Such factors often lead to higher attrition rates and slower career progression for female judges. Under the new agreement, the ADB and UNDP will provide tailored capacity building and improve the collection of judicial data. This will help track progress under SDG indicator 16.7.1(c) regarding representation in decision-making.
Ms. Beate Trankmann, Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific at the UNDP, said, “I believe that strengthening women’s leadership in the judiciary is about more than representation; it is about building justice systems that truly understand people’s lives and deliver just outcomes for women and girls. I would like to thank ADB for this partnership. UNDP looks forward to working together to promote gender justice across the region.”
The project also draws on the ADB’s long-standing relationships with member country judiciaries. ADB Deputy General Counsel Damien J. Eastman added, “The judiciary plays a unique role in shaping and upholding the rights of individuals and businesses, and in enforcing accountability. It must therefore be credible and representative. ADB’s Law and Policy Program is proud to work with UNDP to support leadership opportunities for women judges—an important and growing segment of our judiciaries. The substantive participation of women judges in decision‑making and leadership is pivotal to building inclusive institutions, strengthening governance, and ultimately upholding the rule of law.”
