Caribbean Association of Women Judges

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Why a Caribbean Association of Women Judges?

Why a Caribbean Association of Women Judges?

Judges of the Supreme Courts throughout the Caribbean, in particular those from Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica, came together in 2014 to create the Caribbean Association of Women Judges (“CAWJ”) to promote a greater understanding and better resolution of legal issues facing women and girls. 

The CAWJ focuses on general issues affecting women and women judges in the Caribbean region. The CAWJ falls under the umbrella of the well-recognized and respected International Association of Women Judges (“IAWJ”).

Who are the CAWJ Executive Members?

Who are the CAWJ Executive Members?

The affairs of the Association are directed by an Executive Committee which is comprised of the Officers. The Officers are the President, up to four Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, Assistant Secretary and Treasurer, each of whom may hold office for up to three consecutive years and are eligible for re-election.

The current Executive Committee is:

President

  • The Honourable Madam Justice Joan Charles, Judge of the High Court (Civil Division), Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago.

Vice-Presidents

  • The Honourable Madame Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana (Acting).
  • The Honourable Madame Justice Roxane George, Chief Justice (Acting), Guyana
  • The Honourable Madam Justice Jacqueline Cornelius Thorne, Justice of Appeal (Turks and Caicos Islands), Judge of the High Court (Barbados).
  • Her Honour Paula Blake Powell, Senior Parish Court Judge, Jamaica.
  • The Honourable Madame Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana (Acting)

Secretary

  • The Honourable Madam Justice Carla Brown-Antoine, Judge of the High Court (Criminal Division), Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago.

Treasurer

  • The Honourable Madam Justice Nadia Kangaloo, Judge of the High Court (Civil Division), Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago.

Assistant to the Secretary 

  • Sarah De Silva, Master of the High Court (Criminal Division), Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago.

PATRONS

  • The Honourable Madam Justice Desiree Bernard, Retired Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice
  • The Honourable Madam Justice Maureen Rajnauth-Lee, Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice
  • The Honourable Mrs Justice Zaila McCalla, Retired Chief Justice of Jamaica

What does the CAWJ want to achieve?

What does the CAWJ want to achieve?

The objectives of the CAWJ include the following:

  • To ensure that the justice systems in the Caribbean promote and protect the rights and interests of all persons, women and girls in particular and reflect equality before the law for these persons and the general population;
  • To implement and encourage strategies to achieve gender equity in the Caribbean justice systems;
  • To encourage co-operation and collaboration among judicial officers in each territory and throughout the region to address these objectives;
  • From its unique perspective to contribute to the understanding and resolution of legal issues facing all persons, women and girls in particular.
To this end, the CAWJ will soon be launching a Project geared towards exposing single mothers and parents of blended families to strategies aimed at protecting themselves and the children of the family from violent behaviours and empowering these persons to realize their latent potentials.