Five female judges have been appointed to work in two newly established specialized courts in Benghazi and Tripoli to hear cases of violence against women and children. This constitutes an important step towards promoting the rights of women and children in Libya, and an important step in responding to issues of violence against women and children. Libyan women began working in the judiciary since 1989, and the first to be appointed were Rafia Al-Obeidi and Fatima Al-Barasi, at the Benghazi First Instance Court. According to the Supreme Judicial Council, the number of judges in Libya reached 3,658, of whom 1,431 were women.