IN a workshop with some senior judicial officers from all parts of the country, a question was asked: ‘Knowing what you know about life as a judicial officer, would you recommend the judgeship as a career to your children?’ In a packed hall, fewer replied in the affirmative because of a good salary package and many replied in the negative because of inadequate judicial wellbeing, including health and mental-related issues.
The relationship between judicial welling, efficiency and justice is straightforward. Without judicial wellbeing, efficiency in court and dispensation of equitable and expeditious justice is an elusive dream. Judicial wellbeing really matters in all respects. Fortunately, there seems to be a growing concern amongst judges, judicial educators, and scholars to tackle this issue and make judicial wellbeing of judges as top priority. The Nauru Declaration, adopted by the UN General Assembly on July 25, 2024, is a landmark document that recognizes the importance of judicial wellbeing and its impact on judicial integrity and the quality of equitable justice.
The world bodies like the UNODC, UN Women Pakistan, among others, are vociferous advocates for judicial wellbeing of judges. It really augurs well that nowadays judicial wellbeing has become debatable in the judicial and legal education academies and circles. Judges and legal professionals are thought to experience higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress and lower levels of mental wellbeing than members of the general population. In this polarized society of ours a large number of judges need psychiatric assistance in some parts of the country. This includes anxiety and depression, which can impact the well-being of judges.
Judicial well-being of judges should be a high priority since it affects them and the justice –seeker(s). This has also implications for judicial integrity, efficiency, and public trust in the justice system. Pragmatic and positive organizational policies should be developed to promote flexibility and work-life integration. Resources to promote resilience and self-care should be provided to all judicial officers. Yoga orientation and climate- resilience training must be offered as part of a broader strategy that demonstrates that the judicial system is also doing its part to address issues in the system and work environment.
Judiciary in Pakistan today is lucky to have a visionary and compassionate leadership which hesitates not to adjust to the new realities in the digital world. It is hoped that more and more judicial wellbeing steps and initiatives would be taken into account by the country to address the needs of the judicial fraternity. First of all, a commitment to change, and regular continuing assessment, is needed. A simple first step for all sections of judges in achieving change is the adoption of a judicial wellbeing policy. Second, issues of equity, diversity and inclusion have an effect on, and arguably should be at the heart of, the judicial wellbeing of the judicial profession.
Third, judicial wellbeing conferences and workshops must be arranged at the federal and provincial judicial academies in collaboration with the international partners where good practices must be shared between individuals, institutions, sectors, jurisdictions and regional fora, in order to ensure that appropriate and healthy ways of working within the judicial profession are disseminated and perpetuated. Worldwide and local gatherings of stakeholders are also vital for judicial wellbeing. Judicial wellbeing must focus to give such judges to the nation who are embellished with these elements and physical strength, mental fortitude, spiritual richness, professional probity and compassion to give equitable justice for the wellbeing all and sundry in the society.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
