In particular, the session will focus on why are CEDAW and the Istanbul Convention relevant for women in law and will discuss the status of implementation and legislative proposals, their current and future impact on women in general and women in law, and strategies for sustainable and effective enforcement on a global level.
The panel will be chaired by Dr. Dr. Dubravka Šimonović who was the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences from June 2015 – to July 2021 and will also include other notable speakers including Dr. Maria Andriani, second Vice-President of GREVIO, member of the Greek National Commission for Human Rights, Onyoja Momoh, academic expert in international child and family law, Joanna Wisla-Plonka, chair of foreign affairs committee of Regional Bar of Attorneys at Law in Opole, chair of European Lawyers Committee of CCBE and Osai Ojigho, the Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.
Nida has been invited as the founder of Women in Law Initiative Pakistan and for her work on diversity and inclusion under which she curated the historic action on increasing women’s representation in law in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Law and Justice as well as on legislative amendments in key laws on gender and child rights in Pakistan. Her research involves looking at legal profession with a gender lens and identifying structural and invisible barriers that hinder women’s access and advancement in law. She works to promote, celebrate and facilitate women in the legal profession in Pakistan and believes that,
‘The legal profession and its senior positions must be reflective of the diversity in society and must fairly represent all marginalised groups so that their lived experiences and unique perspectives can find a place in the process of justice. This will only enrich the jurisprudence that ensues and build trust in the justice sector.’
She will be representing us, her important work on fair representation in justice sector and Pakistan at this international conference that connects female legal professionals (and their male allies) from all around the globe, organises international conferences, and presents the annual Justitia Awards.
The conference will be held from 15-17 September 2022, in Vienna by The Women in Law Initiative, Vienna Austria. Last year, Nida Usman Chaudhary won the Justitia Award in the category Academia (International) and was the first South Asian to have won this award.
In addition to being a speaker at the conference, Nida is also on the Jury of this year’s prestigious Justitia Awards that honours and recognises women in law from around the globe in three distinct categories: (1) Lifetime, (2) Academia and (3) Pioneers & Game Changers.
Nida will also join the ‘Mayor’s Reception’ hosted by The Women in Law Initiative, Vienna and by Dr. Michael Ludwig, the Mayor of Vienna, in honour of all attendees on September 15, 2022. Nida’s work on fair representation in justice sector is being recognised globally as well as locally as she received the Governor’s Certificate of Recognition for it at this year’s 75th Jubilee Celebrations at the Governor House Punjab from Governor Punjab, Mr. Baligh ur Rehman.