Members Speak

Very few human rights organization have such vast litigation opportunities. SLIC deals with all the issues that I think are important for us to address as a country. And its active litigation, all our petitions and initiatives are aimed at bringing about radical change, so that really charges me up.

I was in Muzaffarnagar in 2013 when the riots broke out. The way I understood it, it was a result of conspiring state authorities along with big failure on the part of law and order institutions. I realized how easy it is to ignite tension and create polarisation. The situation could have been handled with efficient law and order, but 72 people had to die, thousands were displaces and became refugees in their own country. I was studying for judicial services then and I just left and came to Delhi with the intent to litigate for marginalized communities and give them a legal avenue to safeguard their fundamental rights. I had interned at SLIC in 2009 so I knew this was the place.

“You have to go into mission mode”. These are the words Colin Gonsalves impressed upon us on 10 December 2018 during the Socio-Legal Information Centre’s (SLIC) meeting on International Human Rights Day. Reflecting on my short three and a half months working with the Reproductive Rights Initiative at SLIC, I could not possibly have anticipated the sense of achievement I feel now as I prepare to leave. With any internship there is the slight worry that you could be doing administrative tasks, photocopying, buying coffee - the classics. At SLIC, this could not be further from the truth. You are thrown into the mix from day one. On my first day I found myself conducting research on a ban on condom advertisements in India, assisting a lawyer with a petition that could potentially be filed in the Supreme Court. And two weeks into my internship, I was unexpectedly preparing to work in Nagaland for a month. Later I was fortunate enough to assist with writing an entire publication on abortion law in India. Both intimidated and excited, each day brought a new challenge and the possibility to contribute, even in a small way, to SLIC’s grander vision of improving human rights in India. Working on issues from abortion, maternal health, infant nutrition and discrimination against people living with HIV, it is incredible to think that these are simply the cases of the RRI, just one initiative of SLIC. Conducting fact finding in the field, meeting victims directly,regularly rushing back and forth to court, organising conferences, the workload at SLIC is never ending and the team of lawyers, activists, interns and other staff are truly impressive. As an Australian, witnessing the scale of poverty and blatant human rights abuses in India is confronting. Yet being at SLIC, the sense of determination and possibility to effect change in India and abroad is tangible. I particularly felt this during my trip to the Kohima Office in Nagaland. By interviewing a mother with her newborn baby, writing a fact finding report about the local Anganwadi Centre, which is supposed to provide her with support, and then drafting a petition seeking compensation for the government entitlements she did not receive when pregnant, I felt like I was witnessing the entire process of good work that SLIC and RRI complete. When I heard a month later that the High Court had found in her favour the smile on my face was testament to my sense of awe that this is what SLIC staff do everyday. For myself, the experience taught me to contextualise the issues through hearing the stories of grassroots victims. I was in Muzaffarnagar in 2013 when the riots broke out. The way I understood it, it was a result of conspiring state authorities along with big failure on the part of law and order institutions. I realized how easy it is to ignite tension and create polarisation. The situation could have been handled with efficient law and order, but 72 people had to die, thousands were displaces and became refugees in their own country. I was studying for judicial services then and I just left and came to Delhi with the intent to litigate for marginalized communities and give them a legal avenue to safeguard their fundamental rights. I had interned at SLIC in 2009 so I knew this was the place. I truly cannot express the extent of my gratitude to everyone at SLIC for the opportunities you have given me, and the trust you have had in my ability. To the activists and lawyers of SLIC, thank you for both enriching my personal experience and on behalf of all those whose lives that are directly affected by the invaluable work you do day in and day out. Armed with Colin’s words, I move forward into the next stage of my human rights journey with renewed passion and dedication.

I joined SLIC in June, 2016. Prior to that I was a practicing advocate at Tripura High Court and district courts at Agartala. However, my desire to work for the rights of deprived people remained unaccomplished. Seeing the violations of different forms of human rights violations viz. displacements, worst conditions of road connectivity, frequent news of rapes, arrests on false accusation, frequent outbreak of epidemics like malaria- where so many people die every year. The Bru people being displaced from their original homes (Mizoram) and settled in Tripura leaving their houses and other properties behind. Evictions due to construction of dams, wild life sanctuary etc. Extreme poverty of the people at rural areas (Tribal) who totally deprived on the forest products for their living. These issues gave me sleepless nights thinking of the ways to do away with these issues and help people through legal means. SLIC gave me the opportunity to fight all these violations of human rights and do effective activism to help people who are deprived of their fundamental rights as mentioned above.