Women’s access to judicial power in Uganda: merit, informal networks and regime survival

Uganda’s judiciary is nearing gender parity, yet a glass ceiling prevents women from reaching the most powerful positions. This is surprising, as women have attained top judicial roles in countries with a poorer gender balance in the courts and less progress in women’s empowerment. We explore two questions. First, what explains Uganda’s success in achieving gender parity on the bench? And, second, what limits women judges’ access to top judicial positions? Based on interviews with judges and lawyers, as well as a desk study, we find that formal appointment rules are not gender biased and that merit is key for entry into the judiciary. The glass ceiling results from informal rules that operate in gendered ways and from their interplay with the politics of regime survival, as increased autocratisation in the face of rising opposition has foregrounded political strategy and loyalty as crucial factors in access to top public offices in Uganda.