Only a quarter of Belgian magistrates expected to be men by 2030
By 2030, only a quarter of magistrates in Belgium are expected to be men, according to new figures from the High Council of Justice (HCJ). The council says it wants to encourage more men to pursue careers in the judiciary.
The number of female magistrates has been rising steadily for more than a decade. A turning point came in 2013, when women became the majority for the first time. Today, there are 1,678 female magistrates compared with 969 male, meaning nearly two in three magistrates are women.
The council has raised concerns about the trend, stressing the importance of diversity within the judiciary. "A good reflection of society leads to public support, and the strongest approach arises precisely from weighing up ideas and perspectives," the HCJ said.
Imbalance expected to grow
The gender imbalance is expected to widen further in the coming years. More women are entering training programmes, while three times as many judges, mainly men, are due to retire soon, according to Charlotte Verhaeghe of the HCJ.
"Between 2029 and 2034, we will need an average of 60 new judges each year," Verhaeghe said. "If male law students steer clear of the judiciary, the pool of eligible candidates will be halved."
The HCJ plans to examine how to attract a broader and more diverse group of candidates. As part of this effort, it is promoting judicial careers to law students during the Week of the Judiciary, offering opportunities to shadow judges and prosecutors and gain a clearer understanding of the profession and its prospects.
© BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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