The Ministry of Equality commemorated International Women’s Day 2026 with a well-attended event centred on the United Nations theme, “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls.” The event brought together key figures from Gibraltar’s legal and judicial community to explore both progress and ongoing challenges in achieving fair and equitable access to justice.

The event which was opened by the Minister for Equality, Employment, Culture and Tourism, the Hon Christian Santos GMD MP, explored the United Nations theme from both an international and Gibraltar perspective.

Minister Santos drew attention to the rights that are still denied to many women across the world and spoke of the importance of education, awareness and the recognition that the rights of women and girls are fundamental human rights.

Minister Santos’s opening address was then followed by a presentation by the Speaker of the Gibraltar Parliament, the Hon Judge Karen Ramagge Phillips GMH MP, who spoke of her personal journey into the legal and judicial system in the light of the United Nations theme.

Following her address, the Speaker chaired a panel discussion featuring three leading figures from Gibraltar’s Court Service and the legal sector. The invited panellists were Ms Hazel Cumbo, Chief Executive of the Courts Service, Ms Emma Lejeune, Chair of the Law Council and Ms Lorraine Armstrong, Director and Head of the Family Department at Ellul & Cruz.

The discussion centred around two pivotal points: women accessing the justice system and women working within the justice system, with each panellist sharing their views and lived experiences candidly. This made for a rich and informative exchange of ideas.

The Minister for Equality, the Hon Christian Santos, said: ‘International Women’s Day is an important date in the Ministry of Equality’s calendar, and I am very happy to have been able to mark the day in a way that is meaningful and contributes to moving the equality agenda positively. I am extremely grateful to the Speaker of the Gibraltar Parliament, the Hon Judge Karen Ramagge Phillips GMH MP, for her staunch support in marking the occasion and I would also like to thank all three panellists for their insights and contributions.’