First Women Interactive Maps: Europe

The Appointment of the First Woman to High Courts

Drag the cursor across the screen to learn which decade the first woman was appointed to a high court in a country. If there is missing information or if the high court has not had a woman justice (as of the end of 2020), the country is in white.

Download data: csv

First Women High Court Justices

  • Denmark: Bodil Dybdal
  • France: Charlotte Lagarde Béquignon (Highest Appellate Court)
  • Germany: Erna Scheffler (Constitutional Court); Gerda Kruger-Nieland and Erika Scheffen (Highest Appellate Court)
  • Hungary: Ferencne Molnar
  • Iceland: Guorun Erluendsdottir 
  • Ireland: Susan Denham
  • Netherlands: Anna Augusta Leonie Minkenhof 
  • Norway: Lilly Helena Bolviken
  • Poland: Zofia Gawrońska-Wasilkowska
  • Sweden: Ingrid Garde Widemar
  • United Kingdom: Brenda Hale