Diversity In The Judiciary System, Let’s Talk About It!
Hey everyone, today's article will be brief, but I wanted to discuss the court system in the United Kingdom and why there is such a need for it to be diverse. As someone of BAME descent and a woman, I believe it is important that I inspire those who look up to me, future generations, and children to know that there are people in the legal sector who look like me, which I believe the government does not take into account.
Most organisations and institutions in our society now are run by white middle-class men, and many people do not trust government or judiciary decisions since there is no one in those sectors who looks/represents them. How can you be an old white man making legal decisions for a black or Asian community if you don't even spend time there, get to know the people, or understand the collective problems they face? Many claim that they are even disconnected from society and hence lack the ability to make judgements.
So, what exactly is the judiciary? The judiciary is a branch of the government in charge of the country's legal system, and it includes all of the judges in its courts of law. So, in essence, the judiciary is a branch of government concerned with the law and legal problems, and because it is independent of parliament, it has the authority to make decisions without the involvement of government. In April 2020, 3,174 judges were appointed, with 10% being of BAME ethnicity and 1.09% being black. Let that sink in: 1% of judges are black.
I wish I had seen other black females in high positions in society dominating and thriving when I was younger because representation matters; seeing someone of your race or ethnic background in a sector or job field you aspire to be in inspires a certain drive and confidence within you. If we don't show children and people with high aspirations that there are people who look like them dominating and succeeding in those spaces, we won't have BAME in those spaces in the future because they will believe they lack the capacity or confidence to enter those spaces.
It is important for me to see people who look like me in jobs like being a judge, a lawyer, or working in the legal sector making a difference, having a passion for law, and wanting the world to be a better place because it helps me understand that if they can do it, so can I.
Why representation matters?
People might form negative opinions of their own groups - for example, not seeing people who look like you in the beauty industry or the banking sector can lead you to assume that your background is unpopular or inferior.
People may struggle with developing their identities if there is no representation -
for example, if children see someone who looks like them in a job sector, they are more likely to imagine and identify themselves as belonging in that field.
It's a source of motivation - As someone who aspires to be a barrister, seeing other black female barristers motivates me to do better my studies so that I may take the necessary steps to get to where they are. It increases my discipline.
Related sources:
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/solicitor-judges/judicial-diversity-forecast-2022