Over 80% Women Lawyers Say Careers Tougher Than Male Counterparts: SC Bar Association Survey

New Delhi: More than 80 percent of around 2600 women legal professionals surveyed across India believe their careers have been tougher than those of their male counterparts, a recent national survey by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) revealed.

The report, released by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant earlier this week at the first SCBA conference in Bengaluru, suggested that of the 2,604 women lawyers who were part of the survey, 81.3 percent said their careers have been tougher than their male counterparts, with 41.1 percent calling the journey "much harder". The report further notes that 63.7 percent of respondents found the profession discouraging at some stage.

The report said 81.3 percent found their journey harder than male peers (41.1% much harder, 40.2% slightly harder) — consistent across all seniority levels. It further added that 63.7 percent found the profession discouraging at some point, while only 19.2 percent described it as very encouraging.

The survey responses underscored enduring structural barriers—ranging from infrastructure and networking to leadership opportunities and work-life balance—despite the growing participation of women at the Bar.

The study found that 16.1 percent of respondents disclosed experiencing sexual harassment, while 12.7 percent chose not to answer. Among those who reported harassment, 57 percent said they faced backlash, including exclusion from work and subtle forms of retaliation. In addition, 72.3 percent felt that gender had hindered their ability to build professional networks.

"India today has one of the largest bars in the world with more than two million registered advocates, with increasing participation of women lawyers. However, this numerical growth has not translated into structural progress. Gender bias, inadequate mentorship, early career financial precarity, poor infrastructure, and disproportionate domestic responsibilities continue to shape the professional trajectories of women practitioners. This journey remains largely undocumented at the national front," said the SCBA's report, adding that to address this gap, the SCBA has launched Documenting Voices of Women Legal Professionals in India.

The report highlighted, "Building on a pilot study conducted in Delhi NCR, this national report analyses responses from 2,604 women legal professionals across seven themes: demographic profiles, infrastructure and technology access, experiences of bias, challenges and well-being, marriage and family, leadership, and reform priorities."

The survey drew responses from 23 state bar Councils. Early-career advocates with 0–5 years of practice formed the largest group at 37.4 percent, while 30.7 percent had over 15 years of experience. A majority practised in district courts (52.9%), followed by high courts (28.8%), the Supreme Court (13%), and tribunals (2.5%).

Nearly 45 percent had relocated for work, half of them due to family or marriage. Most respondents (58.2%) were sole practitioners, with only 2.8 percent employed in medium or large law firms. Senior advocates at the Supreme Court level accounted for just 0.4 percent of the sample.

"The survey asked whether a minimum percentage of seats for women judges should be ensured in high courts and the Supreme Court across India. Around 57.9 percent supported a uniform minimum percentage across all high courts, with the survey offering 20% as an example. And 22.6 percent supported a percentage that varies by state based on the sex ratio. Together, 80.5 percent of valid respondents support some form of minimum reservation. Only 13.5 percent opposed reservation in principle. About 100 i.e., 3.8 percent of the total survey respondents did not attempt to answer the question,” said the report.

When asked whether women have equal opportunity in Bar leadership positions, only 25.7% of respondents said yes, 42% said no, and 22.7% said partly. Together, 64.7% (1,686) do not believe women have equal access to Bar leadership, while 9.6% were unsure, the report mentioned.

The survey report also stated that 55.2 percent faced difficulties in getting their matters deferred when they had a child and 44.8 percent did not face such difficulties. Also, 30.3 percent said family responsibilities limit their professional opportunities, and only 18.9 percent say having children positively supported their career. Moreover, 72.1 percent said career advice would not differ between a daughter and son, and 27.9 percent say it would — reflecting perceived gender-based risk.

"While analysing the data, several limitations were encountered. First, the survey is self-reported. Underreporting of sensitive issues such as sexual harassment and backlash cannot be ruled out due to privacy concerns," said the report.

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