ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT The term ‘social context’ refers to the idea that judging is grounded in the
human condition and the society in which it takes place. It is probably no coincidence that
‘differences and disadvantages’ rooted in social context are often at the heart of what
makes cases difficult or contentious. Judicial education addressing social context assists
judges to respond effectively to these challenges. This paper discusses ten principles to guide
social context and gender judicial education, derived from twenty years of experience at
Canada’s National Judicial Institute. These principles propose that judges must lead this
education and should receive support and training to enhance their skills as social context
educators. Non-judges also have an important role to play in ensuring that programs are
credible, in-depth and comprehensive. The content of programs should be shaped around
practical challenges that judges face when confronted with social context factors, and
designed to reflect best practices in adult education. Local customization is beneficial as is
thorough integration of social context throughout the judicial education curriculum. The
value of providing social context and gender education through a judicial education
organization is also considered.
