"Addressing Pakistan’s gender disparity—and indeed other forms of disparity on the grounds of class, ethnicity or religion—on the bench and in the bar warrants a more proactive, long-term approach that tackles structural discrimination and sexism in the legal community," HRCP Hina Jilani wrote in a statement released on Friday.
On Thursday, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) approved Justice Malik to the Supreme Court, making her the first female judge of the apex court.
Justice Mailk is one of the "only 17 percent of [female] judges overall and just under 4.4 per cent in the high courts" in Pakistan, the HRCP noted.
"A more gender-diverse judiciary will have far-reaching effects on people's access to justice and the quality of justice. There is a great deal of evidence to suggest that a greater proportion of women on the bench would make courts more accessible for litigants and victims from vulnerable groups," the statement concluded.
Justice Ayesha Malik's nomination to the Supreme Court twice created controversy, with many in the legal community, including the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), condemning her appointment based on her lack of seniority on the Lahore High Court (LHC).