The Australian Government is delighted to support Judge Hilary Charlesworth’s run for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) bench in the 2023 election. The independent Australian National Group, a group of distinguished Australian jurists who are members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hauge, has proposed Judge Charlesworth for the position. In November 2023, elections will be held at the UN headquarters in New York.
Judge Charlesworth is a sitting judge of the ICJ and is well known throughout the world for her research in international law. She has a wealth of academic and professional experience in international law, including engagement with legal systems in the Indo-Pacific area. She provides important gender diversity to the Court as one of just five women elected as permanent judges in the Court’s 77-year existence. Judge Charlesworth has upheld the greatest norms of independence, impartiality, and honesty ever since he was appointed to the ICJ bench in 2021.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) plays a critical role in maintaining the international system of rules-based order and promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes between States as the main judicial body of the United Nations. Judge Charlesworth is a strong candidate for reelection and has already made a contribution to the Court’s essential work.
An outstanding jurist who has contributed significantly to the study and application of international law is Judge Charlesworth. Following her election in November 2021 following the passing of the late Australian Judge James Crawford, she is currently a Judge of the Court.
Judge Charlesworth served as Judge Ad Hoc for the International Court of Justice on two occasions, in the cases of Guyana v. Venezuela and Australia v. Japan, before entering the ICJ. He was also a Laureate Professor at the Melbourne University Law School and a Distinguished Professor at the Australian National University. She received a doctorate in jurisprudence from Harvard Law School, where she also earned her undergraduate degree.
Award-winning studies and writings of Judge Charlesworth have been published in various of fields, including peacekeeping, human rights, humanitarian law, and groundbreaking work on gender and international law. She has produced or co-authored 11 volumes on international law, published over 130 book chapters and articles, and is now serving in a number of editorial roles, including those with the American Journal of International Law and the Asian Journal of International Law.
