Sonia Picardo, First Woman Judge On The Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Abstract

Sonia Picado, First Woman Judge On The Inter-American Court of Human Rights Jo M. Pasqualucci (bio) I. Introduction Sonia Picado, the first and only woman judge on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights [hereinafter the Inter-American Court or Court] has resigned her position on the Court to become the Costa Rican Ambassador to the United States, a position that is statutorily incompatible with a judgeship on the regional court. 1 Judge Picado has dedicated her career to public international law and especially to international human rights law. In 1993, she was awarded one of the prestigious United Nations Human Rights awards for “Extraordinary Efforts in [the] Protection and Promotion of Human Rights.” 2 The honorary award recognized Judge Picado as a “major promoter of human rights in the [Latin American] region.” 3 Judge Picado has made contributions to human rights and to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights as both a scholar and a woman. Her presence and her perspective will be missed. [End Page 794] II. Personal Background Sonia Picado was the oldest of three children born to Antonio Picado and Odilie Sotela de Picado. Her father, the youngest magistrate to be named to the Costa Rican Supreme Court, was one of the predominant influences in her life. Antonio Picado, who became well known in Costa Rica for his honesty and his dedication, was the eighth of nine children born to a poor family in a small Costa Rica town. His mother, like so many other Latin American women, struggled to take care of her large family without much help from her husband. When young Antonio won a scholarship to study in the capitol of his province, the town’s people took up a collection to buy him clothes and shoes. The image of her father in his struggle to better himself and to lift his family above poverty had a tremendous effect on Sonia Picado’s life. “He taught me that the least that I could do in life was to try to see that others have the same opportunities that I’ve had.” 4 One of Antonio Picado’s favorite sayings was, “hands that give are always full.” 5 This, according to Sonia Picado, influenced her to give priority to causes that in one form or another could help people. 6 Young Sonia spent two of her formative high school years studying in the United States. At the Holton Arms, an all girls’ school in Washington D.C., 7 she was taught that an academic education is important for women as well as for men. Women’s education at that time in Costa Rica focused on languages, music, and art, rather than basic sciences, history, and courses that would prepare young women to work outside of the home. After completing high school in Washington, Sonia wanted to remain in the United States to complete her university studies, but she complied with her parents’ wishes and returned to Costa Rica. Like many girls in Latin America, Sonia married young and soon had a child. She refused, however, to give up her dream of attending a university. After the birth of her first daughter, she insisted on beginning her university studies in law—an undergraduate degree in Costa Rica. In the 1960s it was very unusual for a woman, especially a married woman, to study at the university. There was only one other woman in Sonia Picado’s class. Although it would have been much more convenient for her to drive to class, her husband would not allow her to go to the university in an [End Page 795] automobile, because it would not be appropriate for a woman. Instead she awoke at 5:00 a.m. to take care of home responsibilities before taking an early bus across town. She studied half time so that she could make a good home for her family. Nevertheless, shortly after the conclusion of her studies, she found herself the divorced mother of two children. Sonia Picado was in the first class of students who voluntarily performed legal services while attending law school. A year of legal assistance in areas such as criminal, labor, and family law has...