Retired Justice Effie Owuor enjoyed a decorated judicial spanning over three decades and dedicated to setting the pace for women in the Judiciary.

The first woman to be appointed resident magistrate, senior resident magistrate, high court judge, and Court of Appeal judge, Owuor served as crusader in the corridors of justice, by advocating for the protection of children and the rights of women.

Owuor also served as a chairperson to several organisations such as: the Kenya Law Commission, the Kenya Breast Health Programme and the Kenya Magistrate Association. She is also a founding member and past patron of the Kenya Women Judges Association.

The University of East Africa, Dar es Salaam law graduate was also s the chairperson of the National Task Force to Review laws relating to women. This led to the formulation of the Family Protection Bill of 2002, the report on the National Council for Gender Development Act, the Marriage Bill and the National Task Force on Laws Relating to Children.

Owuor’s judicial career began in 1967 when she served as a state counsel in the Attorney General’s chambers. She moved to the bench in 1971 where she presided over diverse groundbreaking cases particularly in family, marriage, succession and criminal law. The Elder of Burning Spear (EBS) honoree also served as Kenya’s Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Owuor retired in 2002 after a lengthy and illustrious career in the Judiciary