Jordan Times
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
1st woman appointed as chief of court
By Linda Hindi
AMMAN — The first woman to hold the position of chief of court was appointed on Monday by the High Judiciary Board and described her new position as a big step forward for Arab women.
“This is a very important step for Arab women in the region; it is tough competition to be appointed as a decision-maker,” said Ihssan Barakat, who three years ago, also became the first woman judge to serve in the Appeals Court.
In her new post of Chief of the Court of First Instance in west Amman, Barakat will be in charge of 22 judges and 81 employees.
She told The Jordan Times yesterday that she is up to “the tough task” of leading the second highest court in Amman, adding that her number one priority will be to provide an efficient judicial system.
“The constitutional law gives every Jordanian citizen the right to obtain justice; my goal is to make it as hassle- free, fast and fair as possible… going to court should not be a punishment,” she said.
As a founding member and present vice chairman of the Arab Women Legal Network, Barakat’s appointment is in line with her determination to raise the capacity of women leaders in the region.
Formed in 2005 and headquartered in Jordan, the network is a nonprofit, nongovernmental regional entity that aims to facilitate the advancement of Arab women working in the legal field.
It brings together judges, legal practitioners and legal advisers in government and nongovernmental organisations by providing a forum for the exchange of expertise, the provision of specialised training and professional development programmes and the publication of materials aimed at strengthening Arab women in the law, according to its website.
“Our mission is to find women leaders… to prepare them to become decision makers in their countries,” said Barakat, who began her legal career in 1986 after graduating in law from the University of Jordan before going on to work for two years as a trainee lawyer.
In 1988, Barakat set up her own law firm, managing to attract high-profile clients such as the Central Bank of Jordan.
Her first appointment as a judge came in 2002 when she took up a position at the Court of First Instance in Amman before being transferred to the Appeals Court in 2004.
She also served as director of the Directorate of International Relations at the Ministry of Justice for a period of nine months.
Barakat will replace Ahmad Jamaliya, who was promoted as head of all the capital’s First Instance Courts.
The outgoing head, Judge Qasim Al Momani, will take up a position at the Appeals Court where he will serve another two years before being able to compete for a place at the Cassation Court, the highest court in Jordan.