Justice Nicola Byer

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​On March 10, Antigua and Barbuda joined in the observance of International Day of Women Judges.

The observance which comes on the heels of International Women’s Day on March 8th aims to incorporate women’s representation issues into judicial systems.

Justice Nicola Byer of the family Court highlights some of the challenges that women in this field face.

“Many of us are either wives and mothers or wives or mothers. So, striking that work-life balance is extremely important.”

​“The other challenge and I am speaking again from personal experience, and I know from other female judges having heard their own angst, is not being taken as seriously as our male brothers. The things that litigants and counsel may try to get away with, with a female judge, they will never try with a male judge,” the Justice added.

Justice Byer, however, embraces the occasion and what it means to her.

“For me, International Day of Women Judges is being able to celebrate and recognizing that we have a sisterhood, that we’re all going through similar experiences, concerns, and issues, which are usually fundamentally different from our male colleagues.”

“So, it is a recognition and a celebration of the fact that we need to hold each other up and extend that hand, not only to how we look at each other, but not to take specific action and cry down another judicial officer because she’s a woman.”