Dr Amaleya had an interview with Judge Jacqueline Henriques, Prof .Beatrice Opeolu and Dr. Lara Atkinson
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International Women’s Day 2025 - Judge Jacqueline Henriques, Prof. Beatrice Opeolu and Dr. Lara Atkinson
In this special episode of Womanity for International Women’s Day, Judge Jacqueline Henriques, alongside Prof. Beatrice Opeolu and Dr. Lara Atkinson, emphasize education, leadership, policy change, and advocacy as essential tools for creating a more equitable future. Their powerful insights remind us that progress requires collective action, resilience, and unwavering commitment to justice and empowerment for all women and girls.
Judge Jacqueline Henriques – Women’s Rights, Justice & Legal Empowerment
Judge Jacqueline Henriques, a permanent judge of the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, discusses the global regression in women’s rights, the role of the judiciary in gender equality, and the importance of legal awareness and access to justice. She reflects on International Women’s Day as a time to assess progress and reinvigorate efforts to protect women’s rights globally.
Judge Henriques expresses concern over the backsliding of gender rights worldwide, citing examples such as the Taliban’s restrictions on women in Afghanistan and the curtailment of abortion rights in the United States. While acknowledging that some countries, including Bolivia, Moldova, Ecuador, Slovenia, South Korea, and Zambia, have made strides in strengthening democracy and human rights, she stresses the need to maintain momentum in the fight for gender equality.
She highlights the critical role of the judiciary in advancing women’s rights, referencing landmark court cases in South Africa that have strengthened gender equality, such as:
1. Legal recognition of female traditional leaders, breaking patriarchal barriers in cultural leadership.
2. Judicial recognition of Muslim marriages, ensuring that women in these unions receive legal protection.
However, she emphasizes that having strong laws is not enough—women must know their rights and have the means to enforce them. She identifies a major gap in public awareness, particularly among women in rural communities, who often lack access to legal resources and support.
Judge Henriques stresses that NGOs and community organizations play a vital role in bridging this gap by educating women about their legal protections and ensuring that justice is accessible to all. She also highlights the importance of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, which are being successfully implemented in rural communities, where trained female mediators help resolve disputes locally.
She calls for greater inclusivity in legal reforms, urging governments to engage with researchers and grassroots organizations to shape policies that truly address the needs of marginalized women, including those with disabilities. She also advocates for practical improvements, such as ensuring buildings are wheelchair-accessible, to make justice more inclusive.
Her final message to women: We must not lose momentum. Women must be informed, empowered, and supported to claim their rights. True justice means ensuring that no woman is left behind.
Prof. Beatrice Opeolu – Environmental Toxicology & Gender Equality in Sustainability
Prof. Beatrice Opeolu, an environmental toxicologist, explores the interconnection between environmental justice and gender equality. She highlights how environmental degradation disproportionately affects women and girls, particularly in developing countries, and stresses the need for policy changes that prioritize gender-sensitive sustainability efforts.
She outlines three critical areas for transformation:
1. Changing societal norms – From childhood, girls are often assigned domestic roles while boys are not taught self-sufficiency. She urges families to raise boys and girls equally to break ingrained gender biases.
2. Education reform – Formal and informal education systems must be restructured to contextually reflect African realities and improve awareness about environmental sustainability.
3. Political will & leadership –
In this special episode of Womanity for International Women’s Day, Judge Jacqueline Henriques, alongside Prof. Beatrice Opeolu and Dr. Lara Atkinson, emphasize education, leadership, policy change, and advocacy as essential tools for creating a more equitable future. Their powerful insights remind us that progress requires collective action, resilience, and unwavering commitment to justice and empowerment for all women and girls.
Judge Jacqueline Henriques – Women’s Rights, Justice & Legal Empowerment
Judge Jacqueline Henriques, a permanent judge of the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, discusses the global regression in women’s rights, the role of the judiciary in gender equality, and the importance of legal awareness and access to justice. She reflects on International Women’s Day as a time to assess progress and reinvigorate efforts to protect women’s rights globally.
Judge Henriques expresses concern over the backsliding of gender rights worldwide, citing examples such as the Taliban’s restrictions on women in Afghanistan and the curtailment of abortion rights in the United States. While acknowledging that some countries, including Bolivia, Moldova, Ecuador, Slovenia, South Korea, and Zambia, have made strides in strengthening democracy and human rights, she stresses the need to maintain momentum in the fight for gender equality.
She highlights the critical role of the judiciary in advancing women’s rights, referencing landmark court cases in South Africa that have strengthened gender equality, such as:
1. Legal recognition of female traditional leaders, breaking patriarchal barriers in cultural leadership.
2. Judicial recognition of Muslim marriages, ensuring that women in these unions receive legal protection.
However, she emphasizes that having strong laws is not enough—women must know their rights and have the means to enforce them. She identifies a major gap in public awareness, particularly among women in rural communities, who often lack access to legal resources and support.
Judge Henriques stresses that NGOs and community organizations play a vital role in bridging this gap by educating women about their legal protections and ensuring that justice is accessible to all. She also highlights the importance of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, which are being successfully implemented in rural communities, where trained female mediators help resolve disputes locally.
She calls for greater inclusivity in legal reforms, urging governments to engage with researchers and grassroots organizations to shape policies that truly address the needs of marginalized women, including those with disabilities. She also advocates for practical improvements, such as ensuring buildings are wheelchair-accessible, to make justice more inclusive.
Her final message to women: We must not lose momentum. Women must be informed, empowered, and supported to claim their rights. True justice means ensuring that no woman is left behind.
Prof. Beatrice Opeolu – Environmental Toxicology & Gender Equality in Sustainability
Prof. Beatrice Opeolu, an environmental toxicologist, explores the interconnection between environmental justice and gender equality. She highlights how environmental degradation disproportionately affects women and girls, particularly in developing countries, and stresses the need for policy changes that prioritize gender-sensitive sustainability efforts.
She outlines three critical areas for transformation:
1. Changing societal norms – From childhood, girls are often assigned domestic roles while boys are not taught self-sufficiency. She urges families to raise boys and girls equally to break ingrained gender biases.
2. Education reform – Formal and informal education systems must be restructured to contextually reflect African realities and improve awareness about environmental sustainability.
3. Political will & leadership –
