9 October | 1:00 p.m. | Porto Room

The proper administration of justice requires not only a sound command of legal rules and procedural techniques, but also the ability to understand the sociological contexts in which disputes brought before the justice system arise. In its substantive dimension, constitutional equality requires, in particular, that judicial decision-making be capable of identifying situations in which structural inequalities, asymmetrical power relations, stereotypes and discriminatory patterns may influence access to justice, the assessment and production of evidence, and the decision-making process itself.

In this context, incorporating a gender perspective constitutes an important tool for enhancing the quality of judicial decision-making. This does not entail departing from the principle of judicial impartiality; rather, it involves developing analytical tools that enable us to recognise circumstances which, although not always expressly disclosed by the formal elements of the proceedings, may produce or perpetuate substantive inequalities.

Organiser / Moderator – Sandra Tavares (Faculty of Law – UCP)
Speaker – Denise Andrade (Unichristus)