CLPR’s policy brief on the Devadasi practice in States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra investigates the prevalence of the practice and reviews the implementation of legislations prohibiting the practice. The policy brief pays close attention to the intersectional discrimination faced by Devadasi women due to their caste, class, and gender and suggests a range of recommendations from statutory amendments to regular empirical studies and training programmes to strengthen the working of the legislations.
Discrimination & Intersectionality
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Our core focus in combating discrimination on the basis of disability, sex, gender identity and caste has resulted in high impact litigation and in depth, insightful social science research on intersectionality.
Our new approach is to view discrimination through the lens of Intersectionality and respond to caste–based discrimination in the context of gender, sexuality and disability.
Intersectionality: A Report on Discrimination based on Caste with the intersections of Sex, Gender Identity and Disability in South India
CLPR’s report collates the life experiences of intersectional discrimination in the four South Indian States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu to understand the relationship between different intersecting identities and various sites of discrimination.
Equality Bill 2019: Takes a New Step in Addressing Discrimination, Recognising Intersectionality & Promoting Equality.
CLPR’s draft Equality Bill 2019 takes a new step in addressing discrimination experienced by people on the basis of caste, gender, religion, transgender and intersex identity, disability and other grounds. It aims to promote equality, prohibit different types of discriminatory conduct, provide adequate civil remedies and set up fora for redressal that are accessible and effective in addressing discrimination.
Findings of the CLPR’s Research on Intersectional Discrimination
CLPR has conducted qualitative and quantitative research on discrimination faced by persons at the intersection of caste with gender, gender identity and disability. We presented the preliminary findings of the study on 21 November 2018 at a consultation organised with community members and other stakeholders. CLPR intends to prepare and publish a detailed report on the methodology and results of the study shortly.
Bhavika Pore v. Union of India & Anr.
The Centre for Law and Policy Research recently filed an intervening application on behalf of Swati Bidhan Baruah, lawyer and transgender activist, in a case titled Bhavika Pore v. Union of India. The Petitioner through this Petition is invoking the writ jurisdiction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution of India to direct the concerned authorities to fulfil their statutory obligations with regard to setting up/specifying special Human Right Courts in each district for the better protection of Human Rights and also to appoint a Special Public Prosecutor for the same, vis-à-vis section 30 and 31 of the Human Rights Act, 1993.
CLPR files petitions before KAT seeking reservations for transgender persons in Division Assistant posts in Karnataka
The Petition was filed challenging the Notification No. E(2) 7271/2018-19/PSC dated 11.02.2019 (hereinafter the Impugned Notification) calling for applications from eligible candidates to fill up posts of First Division Assistant (FDA) and posts of Second Division Assistant (SDA) of the Bangalore City Civil Court and the different District and Sessions Courts across the State, issued by the Respondent No. 1, seeking that separate reservations be provided for transgender persons.
Madras High Court allows transgender applicants to write exam for Police Constable selections despite age bar
CLPR represented three transgender persons in appealing to the Madras High Court for the relaxation of the age bar for the post of grade II police constable.
Jeeva M. v. State of Karnataka & Anr.
CLPR represented a transgender person seeking change of name and gender in school certificates and pre-university records before the Karnataka High Court.
30th
Nov 2019
Lawyer’s Network: Training Workshop on Laws Addressing Caste Discrimination
Venue Advocates Association Hall No. 2 High Court of Karnataka, Bangalore
Time 9.30 AM to 5.00 PM
On 30th November, CLPR is organising a capacity-building and collaborative learning session on caste discrimination laws and enlisting expert resource persons to provide guidance and support for lawyers interested in working on anti-caste discrimination issues in Karnataka.
Read more26th
Jun 2019
Coffee And Conversations | Student Discussion on the Equality Bill 2019
Venue Centre for Law and Policy Research, D6, Dona Cynthia Apartments, 35, Primrose Road, Craig Park Layout, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560025
Time 5:00 - 7:00 PM
CLPR is hosting a students' "Coffee and Conversations" evening on 26th June, 2019, (Wednesday). The topic for this evening's exciting discussion is the Equality Bill, 2019 drafted by CLPR
Read more15th
May 2019
CLPR | Equality Bill 2019 | Consultation
Venue Guruswamy Centre, Hyderabad
Time 9.30 AM - 5.00 PM
Through this consultation, we hope to get critical feedback on the text of CLPR's draft Equality Bill 2019. We hope to learn from experiences of civil society organisations and activists who routinely tackle different forms of discrimination and incorporate key insights into the draft.
Read more22nd
Mar 2019
Intersex Persons Expert Committee | Intersex Persons and their Rights
Venue Thoughtworks
Time 2.30 - 4.30 PM
This seminar was organised to discuss certain draft guidelines for the rights of Intersex Persons. Sr. Adv. Jayna Kothari attended the event as a resource person to provide guidance on the current legal framework affecting intersex persons, and to suggest future legal reform. CLPR Equality Fellows, I.R. Jayalakshmi and Krithika Balu also attended the seminar.
Read moreRadio Active - Cr 90.4 MHz
A Conversation with Trinetra Gummaraju | Radio Active covers our SRR conference
Shruti Sharada interviews Trinetra Gummaraju, who will speak at our conference on Sexual and Reproductive Rights conference, for RadioActive Cr 90.4 Mhz. Gummaraju will speak on the LGBTI+ panel.
CNN
Teenager beheaded in southern India in caste-based violence
The beheading of a 13 year old girl in Tamil Nadu is another example of caste based violence perpetuated against women. In this article CNN quotes Jayna Kothari who argues for looking at these crimes in an intersectional way: as caste and gender based violence.
Fact Finding Mission: Gundlupet Dalit Atrocity
On 21.06.2019, Pratap, a Dalit man in Gudlupete, Karnataka who went to fetch water from a temple, was tied to a tree inside the temple, brutally assaulted and paraded naked on the highway by the villagers, including a policeman. This incident yet again throws the issue of caste discrimination into sharp focus. It is a testimony to the pervasiveness of caste discrimination in India and the prevalence of the practice of untouchability.
CLPR releases report of study on Intersectional Discrimination
As part of its work on equality and non-discrimination, CLPR conducted a study on experiences of intersectional discrimination in South India between May – November, 2018. The objective of the study was to understand the relationship between different intersecting identities and various sites of discrimination such as educational institutions, workplaces, police stations, and public transport.
An Overview of the Equality Bill, 2019
– Aadhirai S, Deekshitha Ganesan and Jayna Kothari India has a robust Constitution and…
Forging the Union Executive: Ensuring a Representative Cabinet
Mahboob Ali Baig moved an amendment proposing that the prime minister and his ministers be selected by members of parliament ‘in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote’. Baig’s amendment was rejected. The Historical Constitution and the Constituent Assembly debates reveal that the constitutional choice regarding the executive was not straightforward – it was preceded by rigorous debate and conflict over alternative systems. While India settled on Article 75, the problems of representativeness of the executive remain in 2019.