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Justice Gita Mittal, former Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir will be presented with the the Arline Pacht Global Vision award by the International Association of Women Judges, making her the sole Indian judge to be presented with the honour.
The IAWJ’s award committee has nominated Justice Mittal to receive this award and she will be awarded on 8th May 2021.
Representing India at a global level and being a part of the IAWJ, it’s a proud moment for the entire country as she will be presented with the Arline Pacht Global Vision Award at the 15th Biennial Conference, New Zealand.
Justice Gita Mittal has not only impacted the lives of people all around the world through her landmark judgments, schemes and policies but most importantly her character has inspired everyone.
In the case of Virender v. State, she laid out a scheme for the protection of rape, and other vulnerable victims and witnesses, by setting up courts that are fully equipped to ensure the protection of such people during the time of trial. Other judgments like declaring the newly amended Delhi Court Fee Act, 2012 as unconstitutional as the amended law made a huge hike in the court fee and it was a major concern for all the litigants.
Her involvement in multiple public interest litigation matters include her judgment on providing barrier-free and easy access to public transports for people with disabilities, other judgment like providing compensation to the victims of riots.
Apart from passing multiple landmark judgments, she has been a part of multiple court committees, from being a member of the committee against Sexual harassment of women at work place, to heading the Mediation and Conciliation Committee for almost 5 years, also being appointed as a chair in a tribunal under the UAPA, to being invited at both national and international platforms as a speaker and even to present research papers on different social and legal issues covering different areas of law. She has always been an all-rounder.
The IAWJ is a not for profit, non-governmental organization founded in 1991, which aims to promote gender equality, equal access to justice, empower women, end discriminatory laws, promote human rights and the rule of law. It is an organization where women judges from around the world have joined to promote the aims and objectives of the organization.
Every year IAWJ host its Biennial Conference at different locations around the world, due to the pandemic, 2020’s Conference was cancelled, and it is now scheduled from 7th May till 9th May 2021.
This conference is famous for its speakers, as speakers from around the world are invited to speak on the contemporary legal issues, and raise awareness about different aspects as per the agenda of the conference, as every year there is a different theme and agenda, further, it is also famous for its two awards namely:
1) Arline Pacht Global Vision Award and
2) Human Rights Award.
Every year women judges from different countries are nominated for these awards because of their contribution to the legal fraternity that has made a global impact and brought a change at the international level.
On the occasion of IAWJ’s 15th Biennial Conference on “Celebrating Diversity” from 7th May 2021 - 9th May 2021, which is to be held in New Zealand, but due to the Covid-19 travel restrictions, the entire event would be held virtually for the people who are unable to attend the same, the event would be recorded and the links will be sent to the ones who have registered themselves for the event.
Arline Pacht Global Vision award is named before the first awardee, Judge Arline Pacht. She was presented with this award to recognize her as she founded the IAWJ. Afterwards, the organization decided that this award shall be presented to a sitting or a retired judge every year at the Biennial Conference to recognize their contributions and achievements which were in accordance with the IAWJ’s goals.
The eligibility criteria for this award are as follow:
1. The primary criteria for any person to be nominated for this award, is whether the person has impacted people globally by her work and whether the impact has a long-lasting effect.
2. Whether the person nominated has shown integrity throughout their lifetime.
3. Whether the person’s accomplished achievements and actions has an everlasting effect and can the same be replicated in other countries.
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