Rwanda judge to promote gender in C’wealth region
The newly elected regional representative of the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association (CMJA), Justice Angeline Rutazana, has pledged to promote gender among member states as part of her key roles after assuming office.
Rutazana, was recently appointed as the association’s gender representative for the East, Central and Southern Africa region. She is also the president of Rwanda Judges and Registrars Association.
She said that the appointment is in recognition of Rwanda’s distinguished success in gender promotion and this is an opportunity for me to extend this progress to other CMJA member states in her three year term of office.
At the same event, John Vertres (Canada) was elected as the new president of CMJA, who also underscored the need to promote the independence of the judiciary, saying it has on many occasions been threatened by government authorities.
The council is made up of President, the Executive Vice-President, the treasurer and three representatives from each of the six regions. The other regions include; the Caribbean, West Africa, Indian Ocean, Atlantic and Mediterranean and the Pacific Ocean.
CMJA was founded in 1970 as the Commonwealth Magistrates’ Association and the current name was adopted in 1988.
Some of the association’s objectives include; advancing the administration of the law by promoting the independence of the judiciary, advancing education in the law, administration of justice, treatment of offenders and the prevention of crime within the Commonwealth.
