The Constitution Defenders Project
The Constitution Defenders Project by CLPR works to advance access to justice for transgender persons, women and girls, persons with disabilities, and Dalit and Adivasi communities. Through paralegal training and a 2.5-year fellowship for young lawyers, the project builds community capacity to navigate the legal system, access welfare schemes, and claim constitutional rights effectively.
About
This project targets transgender persons, women and girls, persons with disabilities, and Dalit, Adivasi, and Bahujan communities, all of whom have historically faced social exclusion, discrimination, and lack of access to education, healthcare, and employment.
Recognizing this, the State has enacted laws such as the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. However, many individuals remain unaware of their rights and face barriers in accessing legal services, including lack of resources, awareness of legal aid, and affordable legal representation.
The Constitution Defenders Project aims to enhance access to justice for these vulnerable groups in across India through:
- Paralegal Training: Community members will be trained to assist with legal applications, RTI requests, interactions with police, welfare schemes, and authorities like Protection Officers and Disability Commissioners.
- Constitution Defender Fellows: Young lawyers will undertake a 2.5-year fellowship to provide legal representation, hold legal clinics, conduct Know-Your-Rights sessions, and offer specialized legal assistance.
CLPR will mentor, support, and build the capacities of this cadre of paralegal volunteers and constitutional defender fellows in a sustained manner to ensure that marginalized groups have access to high-quality and effective legal services, thereby significantly improving their access to justice.
Recent Updates
EVENT REPORT | Paralegal Volunteers Training Programme: Final training & Convocation
October 4, 2025
On 29th September 2025, CLPR hosted a training workshop on the rights of transgender persons... Read more here
Event Report | KYRE workshop on the Domestic Violence Act
September 26, 2025
The Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR), in collaboration with Aweksha- A Women’s Trust and St. Joseph University School of Social Work, organised a workshop on Know Your Rights under the Domestic Violence Act. It was held in St. Joseph University on 25th September, 2025. The event also marked the launch of the Kannada edition of the Domestic Violence Handbook by Aweksha, created to make critical information accessible to women at the grassroots level. Read more here
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