Centre for Women and Law

MISSION

The Centre has been established with the goal of promoting and encouraging research, new ideas, views, approaches, discussions and disseminating high-quality literature on issues concerning ‘women and law’. In this context, the objective of the Centre is to

To establish, promote, and support interdisciplinary studies and research in the subject of gender justice that are at the crossroads of law and policy.
To undertake policy review and conduct a thorough evaluation of existing legislation and propose fact-based, concrete solutions to address current public policy concerns.
To engage in comprehensive research and capacity building on issues concerning women’s wellbeing and gender justice in India.
To engage in an interdisciplinary research consuetude for augmenting the appreciation of legal, cultural and social issues in gender studies for law graduates and professionals.
To improve public policy in the areas of women’s rights, education, mental health, and overall welfare by conducting independent, nonpartisan, and thorough research and analysis.

Objectives of the Centre

The Centre for Women and Law aims to empower women by increasing their understanding of their legal rights and entitlements. This involves conducting workshops, seminars, and awareness campaigns to educate women about various laws that affect them, such as those related to marriage, property rights, domestic violence, workplace harassment, and inheritance. The Centre engages in rigorous research to analyze existing laws and policies related to women’s rights. It identifies gaps, inconsistencies, and areas in need of improvement, and then advocate for policy changes based on evidence-backed research. This involves engaging with policymakers, lawmakers, and government bodies to influence legal reforms. This Centre focuses on gathering and analyzing data related to women’s legal issues, such as cases of violence against women, discrimination, and economic disparities. Data-driven insights can inform policy decisions and highlight areas where interventions are most needed. The Centre provides training programs and resources for legal professionals, judges, police officers, and other stakeholders to enhance their understanding of gender-related legal matters. This contributes to more effective implementation of laws and fairer outcomes for women in the legal system.

Activities

Date: 29th July,2024 to 9th August 2024
Event: Single Credit Course on the theme of “Gendered Justice”.
About the Event: This course is being conducted by Professor L. Denice Labertew, Juris Doctor of Human Rights. The course is providing an overview of the intersection between law and gender in the American context, with comparisons to international law as relevant. It is covering the theoretical concepts feminist and other gender justice scholars are using to understand the implications of gender on people’s lives and exploring how these theories are helping us to gain a deeper understanding of the ways gender and the law are working together to structure inequality into societal institutions. It is exploring the impact of that inequality on individuals and groups in society, with an emphasis on the role of organizing within oppressed gender groups to restructure law as it relates to gender to achieve equality. It is culminating with a look towards the future by re-imagining what an inclusive and gender-equal system of laws might look like and how we might achieve it. The course is a success as we have received over 180 registrations for the course.
Date: 20th July,2024
Event: Two Panel Discussion on the themes
- “Access to Justice for Victims of Domestic Violence” and
- “Gender Diversity in the Legal Profession.”
About the Event: National Law University Odisha, Cuttack, recently hosted panel discussions on “Access to Justice for Victims of Domestic Violence” and “Gender Diversity in the Legal Profession” organized jointly by the Centre for Women and Law and Centre for Law and Public Policy. The event featured prominent panelists including Justice Savitri Ratho of the High Court of Orissa, Judge Rupa Searight Goswami of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Justice Gita Mittal, former Chief Justice of J & K and Ladakh High Court, and Dr. Suman Dash Bhattamishra, Associate Professor of Law at NLU Odisha.

In the first session, Prof. Dr. Paromita Chattoraj initiated the discussion, with Justice Mittal addressing gender violence and legislative gaps in India. Judge Goswami compared US and Indian legal responses to domestic violence, while Dr. Bhattamishra discussed gaps in recent judicial developments and institutional responses in India. The second session, moderated by Prof. Dr. Rangin Pallav Tripathy, highlighted disparities in women judges’ tenure in India and the US. Judge Goswami emphasized the need for greater inclusion and the impact of feminist perspectives. Justice Ratho and Justice Mittal addressed under-representation and challenges faced by women in the judiciary. Prof. Ved Kumari, Vice Chancellor, underscored the importance of understanding women’s roles beyond mere appointments, encouraging development through active participation.
Date: 11 March 2024
Event: REKHTI – INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EVENT
About the Event: The Centre for Women and Law in collaboration with the Gender Sensitization Committee conducted an event “Rekhti” in pursuance of International Women’s Day. The theme for this event, “Invest in Women: Reinventing Progress,” encapsulated our commitment to advancing women’s contributions across all spheres. ‘Rekhti’—a tribute to the rich legacy of Urdu feminist literature and art—was not only a celebration of women’s accomplishments but also a vibrant canvas for artistic expression and profound discussions. It was a day of forging solidarity, championing inclusivity, and empowering our academic fellowship. The highlight of the day was the T-shirt and Tote-Bag Painting Competition, which ignited a wave of creativity as participants embraced themes of feminism, equality, and empowerment and exciting games of Antakshri and Pictionary which showcases the unique talents of the faculties as it integrated the bliss of music and art to rejoice in this remarkable event.
Date:12 January 2024
Event:NCW Sponsored Regional Consultation On Rights Of Women Under Property Laws (Eastern India)
About the Event: Women’s property rights in India have historically been limited, often facing discrimination and exclusion from inheriting ancestral property. Despite legal reforms, socio-cultural norms continue to hinder equal property ownership for women. The NCW Sponsored Eastern Region Law Review Consultation by National Law University Odisha’ aims to address these disparities. The regional consultation seeks to delve into complexities surrounding women’s property rights under Indian law, fostering discussions and proposing solutions to ensure equitable property rights for women, promoting gender equality and empowerment in society. The Regional Consultation followed a structured format, comprising distinct sessions and segments. After the welcome address and the inaugural, the consultation was divided into four sessions, attended by all the resource persons in online or offline mode. Each resource person presented their recommendations on the topic allotted to them by National Law University Odisha, and at the end of the session, a moderated discussion took place regarding all the recommendations in that session, encompassing viewpoints of any resource persons who expressed their opinion.
Date: 6 October 2023
Event: NCW Sponsored National Seminar on “Challenges Faced by Sex Workers and Their Children”
About the Event: On October 6th, the Centre for Women and Law (CWL), in partnership with the National Commission for Women (NCW), hosted a seminal seminar addressing the myriad challenges encountered by sex workers and their children. This seminar sought to illuminate the legal, educational, health, and occupational hurdles that have long marginalized this vulnerable community. The CWL, National Law University, Odisha, and the National Commission for Women, a governmental body promoting women’s rights, collaborated to raise awareness and advocate for gender-specific issues. Access to critical health services, particularly for HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases, is a significant hurdle. Female sex workers are particularly susceptible to diseases due to high-risk sexual behaviours and substance use. Society frequently stigmatizes them, isolating them from mainstream society due to their mothers’ profession. The speakers included Lalitha S.A., the vice president of the Society for Participatory Integrated Development (SPID); Namrata Chadha, a former member of the Odisha State Commission for Women; Dr. Paromita Chattoraj, Professor of Law at NLU Odisha and Dr. Sohini Mahapatra; Assistant Professor of Law at NLU Odisha. The seminar showcased pressing issues faced by sex workers and their children and proposed solutions to improve their conditions.
Date:15 September 2023
Event: NCW Sponsored National Seminar on “Women in Decision Making Roles in Corporate”.
About the Event: The Centre for Women and Law conducted a National Seminar on “Women in Decision Making Roles in Corporate” sponsored by the National Commission for Women on 15th September, 2023. The Seminar consisted of six technical sessions conducted by inspiring women who shared their insights on how they made it in the corporate world including Ms. Priyanka, the Chief Operating Officer at Manupatra; Dharitri Patnaik, Chairperson of Diversified Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd; Neelasha Nemani, currently working at Clifford Chance LLP; Madhuram Aparajita, deputy head legal at Vedanta Limited. Highlighting the crucial role women-owned businesses play, the speakers acknowledged that throughout their career they faced gender-based challenges such as intrusive personal inquiries during job interviews and subtle biases affecting professional opportunities and in client interactions, showcasing the existing disparities in the legal industry. She stressed the need for enhanced female representation at the top levels of the legal sector, recognizing the importance of female role models to guide successful careers and address distinct challenges women encounter.
Date: 4th August 2023
Event: NCW sponsored Capacity Building and Personality Development Programme For Female UG/PG Students
About the Event: The Centre for Women and Law, National Law University Odisha (NLUO), in collaboration with the National Commission for Women, orchestrated a remarkable one-day seminar titled “One day capacity building and personality development programme for female UG/PG students.” The event, dedicated to fostering women’s growth and empowerment, attracted around 200 enthusiastic participants.The workshop featured an array of distinguished speakers who shared their wisdom and insights to inspire the attendees including Prof. Supriya Pattnayak: The Vice Chancellor of Centurion University of Technology & Management; Prof. (Dr.) Ved Kumari: The Vice Chancellor of NLUO; Dr. Arjyalopa Mishra: An Assistant Professor at NLUO; Prof. Augustine Veliath: An Adjunct Professor at NLUO and a Communication Specialist at UNICEF and Mr. Saumendra K. Priyadarshi, IPS: The Commissioner of Police for Bhubaneswar-Cuttack.
Date:25 November 2022
Event: Regional Consultation with Civil Society Organizations on Achievements of the National Commission for Women since 2014 and Consultation with NGOs on Swadhar Grehs
About the Event: On 25th November 2022, National Commission for Women, New Delhi in collaboration with Centre for Women and Law, National Law University, Odisha organized an Eastern Regional Consultation with Civil Society Organizations on Achievements of the National Commission for Women since 2014 and Consultation with NGOs on Swadhar Grehs. The Consultation was conducted in physical mode where delegates from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal had attended the Regional Consultation.
Date: 28 October 2022
Event: NCW Sponsored National Seminar on “Women Police Station / Mahila Thana : Working, Efficiency & Effectiveness.
About the Event: This seminar was organised by the Centre for Women and Law (CWL), National Law University Odisha (NLUO) and sponsored by the National Commission for Women (NCW). NCW is the statutory body of the Government of India, generally concerned with advising the government on all policy matters affecting women. NCW envisions that Indian woman must be safe both within and outside the home, and should be fully empowered to enjoy all of her rights and entitlements, with equal opportunities to contribute in all spheres of life. With its countless accomplishments, NCW continues to promote equality and empower women in all sectors. We have conducted research to assess whether women are preferring WPS over police stations and its impact to minimize the crime against women.
Date: 17 February 2022
Event: NCW Eastern Regional Consultation on “Review of Criminal Laws – Improvement in Status of Women”
About the Event: National Commission for Women (NCW) Eastern Regional Consultation for the states of Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Bihar on ‘Review of Criminal Law: Improvement in Status of Women’ was organized by National Law University Odisha, Cuttack on 17 February 2022. The objective of this consultation was to review and analyze the position of law; and formulate consolidated recommendations for viable amendments keeping in view the perspective and position of women in India. This regional consultation witnessed participation from members of State Women Commissions, NGOs, members of Civil Societies, Delegates from Academia, Legal Professionals, Police Personnel and Prison Officials to give their views and opinions through deliberations in focused group discussions. The welcome address was delivered by Prof. Ved Kumari, Vice-Chancellor, National Law University Odisha, where she delineated the questions and points to be discussed during the consultation process. Ms. Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, NCW delivered the inaugural address. Dr. Usha Ramanathan, noted academician and leading human rights activist, shared her insights on ‘Looking at Criminal Law through the Lens of Women Studies’. Other notable speakers were Mr. Debi Prasad Dhal, Members, Bar Council of India, and Prof. Gangotri Chakraborty.
Date: 5 February 2022
Event: Workshop on Anti-Sexual Harassment Law and Policy
About the Event: On 5th February, 2022, the Centre for Women and Law at National Law University, Odisha organized a workshop on Anti- Sexual Harassment Law and Policy with special emphasis on the working of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) and Local Complaints Committees (LCCs), and to educate the participants about the working knowledge of the Sexual Harassment Act, 2013. National Law University Odisha has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards any kind of sexual harassment and strives to create a community in which students, teachers and non-teaching staff can work together in an environment free of all forms of gender violence, harassment, exploitation, intimidation and discrimination.The purpose of this workshop was to bring together a variety of stakeholders including members of the Gender Sensitization Committee (GSICC), the Supreme Court of India, members of the Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs), and staff and students at NLUO. Its primary purpose was to,to educate the participants about the issue of the workplace sexual harassment of women,to impart working knowledge of the Sexual Harassment Act, 2013,to help them to understand the legal position on the topic and how to handle sexual harassment complaints.to familiarize them with the structure and operation of GSICCs and ICCs,to detail the procedure that the GSICC and ICCs will follow when dealing with such complaints,to ensure that faculty, staff, and students understand the mandatory provisions of the Sexual Harassment Act in order to foster a positive work environment and society at large.
Date: 2021
Event: ASSISTANCE IN DRAFTING ANTISEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY OF NLUO
About the Event: The Centre for Women and Law began discussing and drafting the Sexual Harassment Policy for the College to ensure that the college remains a safe place for everyone and that anyone not abiding by it shall be held accountable. The Policy has been drafted keeping in mind the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) and the University of Grants Commission (UGC) (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015. The Policy has been drafted by a committee of students for this purpose under the guidance of the professors in charge and has been peer-reviewed and reviewed by the student members of CWL. The CWL along with the Student Council also welcomes suggestions from the Student Body of the College, making the entire process inclusive and transparent. The Sexual Harassment Policy for the College is gender-neutral.
Date: 15 March 2021 – 6 April 2021
Event: WOMEN AND LAW SPECIAL LECTURE SERIES
About the Event: The Centre for Women and Law at National Law University, Odisha hosted a “Special Lecture Series” on various social and legal themes that cover different dimensions of feminist engagements with the law in India. The 1st from among these series of virtual lectures was conducted on March 15th, 2021 about “Acid Attack as gendered violence” and was taken by our guest speaker Dr. Vageshwari Deswal. The 2nd lecture from among these series of virtual sessions was conducted on 18th March 2021 on the topic “Property Rights of Women” and was taken by our guest speaker Dr. Kiran Gupta, a professor of Law at the University of Delhi, an avid writer with an extensive contribution to the field of law. The 3rd Lecture of the Special Lecture series was delivered by Dr. Usha Ramanathan on March 22, 2021. Dr. Usha Ramanathan is a well-known Human Rights activist who’d also been awarded the prestigious ‘Human Rights Hero’ by Access Now Organisation in 2018. The 4th Lecture of the Special Lecture series was delivered by Prof. Mrinal Satish on April 6th, 2021. Prof. Mrinal Satish, an NLSIU and Yale Law School Alumni, is a member of the Supreme Court of India’s Gender Sensitization and Internal Complaints Committee.
Date: 29 January 2021
Event: Third Smt. Sailabala Pujari Memorial Public Lecture by Hon’ble Ms. Justice (Retd.) Prabha Sridevan
About the Event: The Centre for Women and Law at National Law University, Odisha, organized the 3rd Smt. Sailabala Pujari Memorial Public Lecture on 29th January 2021. The public lecture was organized in memory of Smt. Late Sailabala Pujari, the first-ever women legal practitioner and APP of western Odisha. A social reformer and prolific writer she has authored numerous books on various social and legal subjects. The virtual guest lecture was on “Law, Language and Gender” and was delivered by Hon’ble Justice (Retd.) Prabha Sridevan Ji, Former Judge of the Madras High Court and former Chairperson of the IPAB (Intellectual Property Appellate Tribunal). Her session covered the significance of language as a means of social interaction and its power as a medium for the construction and transmission of culture. She talked about how language has been used as an expression of power, how legal language reinforces the dominance of one gender over the other, what ought to be done about it, and the progress made by the lawyers and scholars of language and gender.
Date: 4 May 2020
Event: Collaborated with NCW to organize a webinar on Misinformation and online safety practices in the times of Covid-19
About the Event: Centre for Women and Law on 4 May 2020 organized a webinar in collaboration with the National Commission for Women on “Misinformation and online safety practices in the times of Covid-19, with an objective to empower people to be
- AWARE of their digital rights and responsibilities;
- CHOOSE consciously by making safe, smart, informed choices,
- RECOGNISE and Manage Online Risks;
- RESPONSIBLE Netizens following rules & regulations.”
Date: 6 March 2020
Event: Collaborated in organizing Regional Consultation on Female Labour Force Participated rate organized by NCW
About the Event: Centre for Women & Law and Centre for Industrial Relations & Labour Laws of National Law University Odisha on 6 March 2020 in collaboration with National Commission for Women (NCW), Government of India, and V. V. Giri National Labour Institute, Noida organized a “Regional Consultation on Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR)” on 6th of March, 2020. The main themes of the consultation were crimes against women and their relation with FLFPR; respect for safety, rights, and dignity of women and cultural norms and mindsets vis-a-vis women and their relation to FLFP; the impact of sexual harassment of women at workplaces, public places, etc; the impact of prevailing laws on FLFPR; impact on FLFPR on marriages, pregnancy, childbirth, child care and other responsibilities of women; transition from informal to formal sector and the specific scenarios prevailing in these sectors.
Date: 31 March 2018
Event: Second Smt. Sailabala Pujari Memorial Public Lecture by Hon’ble Justice Ruma Pal
About the Event: The Centre organised the 2nd Smt. Sailabala Pujari Memorial Public Lecture taken by Hon’ble Justice Ruma Pal on the 31st of March, 2018. The theme of the lecture was ‘Judicial Recusals’. The Hon’ble Justice underlined the principles underlying recusals in Common Law, whether reasonable perception or suspicion of bias by other people is sufficient to vitiate a hearing, judicial impartiality as a fundamental right, who must decide the issues of recusal, and more along similar lines. Justice Pal elaborated the principle taking the example of the unprecedented event when four senior judges of the Supreme Court held a press conference to bring before the public their grievance for better understanding of the concepts.

Research and Publications

Books:

Title: EDITED VOLUME OF ‘SOCIO-LEGAL STATUS OF UNWED MOTHERS: Issues, Challenges, and Way Ahead
Year: 2018
About the Book: The book’s aim is to play a constructive role in shaping discussions in this subject area and encourage views and debate on related issues. The Centre received ideas, opinions, views, comments in the form of articles, case comments from celebrated scholars, lawyers, and students all over India on issues like Socio Legal Dimensions of Women in Live- In Relationship, Contemporary Overlook on Socio-Economic Stigmatization of Unwed Mothers, Judicial Trends on The Status of Unwed Mothers, Portrayal of Unwed Motherhood in Bollywood, Surrogacy and Proposed Legal Framework on Surrogacy and the like. It is one of its kind and can be referred by students, lawyers, academics, academicians and others.
Title: EDITED VOLUME WITH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH ON “SOCIO-LEGAL ANDROCENTRIC AND GENDER INEQUALITIES”.
Year: 2021
About the Book: The book is a proud attempt aimed at the metanarrative of patriarchy which reduces the status of the female gender to the ‘second sex’ and hinges her existence relative to men. A series of articles published in this volume authored by legal scholars, academicians, and students from all over the country explore various socio-legal themes in the Indian Societal Structure, for instance, Customary practices and Gender discrimination, gender stereotypes, and their impact on the socio-legal perception of Gender, Property/succession law and gender concerns and Gender concerns and LGBTQIA. The book is likely to be published with joint collaboration of CWL, NLUO and Eastern Book Company (EBC) and would be available by the end of July, 2021.