Supreme Court Justice S Ravindra Bhat recently emphasized the need for an equitable division of domestic duties between men and women. Speaking at a conference on “Women in Power & Decision Making” organized by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Justice Bhat addressed the lack of women in the judiciary as a significant concern.
Justice Bhat pointed out that while the Madras High Court has the highest number of women judges, it is still far from achieving adequate gender representation. He stated, “Gender representation in the judiciary has historically been a challenge. Although Tamil Nadu has the most female judges, it still falls short of the required numbers. The glass ceiling for women is very real and obvious.”
He highlighted that domestic responsibilities often prevent women from advancing to more significant roles in their careers. “We must not accept the unequal domestic expectations placed on women as inevitable. Instead, we should strive towards a society that values and promotes a fair division of household work,” Justice Bhat urged.
Justice Bhat acknowledged the irony of a man speaking on the issue of women in power, stating, “I am aware of the irony in being invited to speak at this session as a man, and it is a thought I have struggled with. This calls for genuine engagement.”
He noted that while career challenges for women are varied, these institutional issues should be addressed at an organizational level. Justice Bhat also stressed the importance of moving beyond token representation, ensuring that women in leadership roles have genuine power to influence change.
“Tokenistic representation, where women hold symbolic positions while decisions are made by others, is counterproductive. It harms the cause of women’s empowerment, as women in positions of power need to bring benefits to other women in the system,” he said.
Justice Bhat observed an increase in the number of women involved in litigation. He advocated for creating a supportive work environment to retain their participation in the legal profession, suggesting, “It starts with basic steps. Leaders and stakeholders must be aware of the unique challenges women face and work quickly to resolve them to maintain their involvement in the workforce.”
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