Breaking Barriers: Judge Scarlet Bishara on Gender Justice and Church Courts in Palestine

Show notes

In 2015, Scarlet Bishara made history as the first female church court judge in an Arab country, serving in the Evangelical Lutheran Church Court of Jordan and the Holy Land in Bethlehem. In this episode, she discusses the unique role of church courts in Palestine, the landmark 2015 family law reform that introduced equal inheritance rights for men and women, and her continuing advocacy for gender justice and equality. Scarlet reflects on the challenges of working within a religious legal system, the political pressures of life under occupation, the mixed reactions to her appointment, and the transformative impact of women serving in traditionally male-dominated courts.