Guest Lecture on Empowering Women in the Justice system by GNLU: Register by March 4

01 Mar 2023

About GNLU

Gujarat National Law University is a statutory University established by the Government of Gujarat under the Gujarat National Law University Act, 2003. The University is recognized by the Bar Council of India and the University Grants Commission. The University functions as a nodal agency to uplift legal education in the State of Gujarat.

About the Speaker

The distinguished speaker for the event is Ms Rebecca John, she is one of the leading lawyers in criminal law litigation in India. She enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1988 and has been practising exclusively on the criminal side in the Supreme Court of India, the High Court of Delhi and the Trial Courts of Delhi for more than three decades.

She was designated as a Senior Advocate by the Delhi High Court in 2013, being the first woman to be conferred the gown on the criminal side. She has also been appointed as a Special Public Prosecutor on occasion by the High Court of Delhi and frequently comments in leading newspapers and the media on issues of criminal justice reform in India.

In her illustrious career, she has been involved in several high-stakes cases including “the Jain Hawala case of 1996”, “the 2G spectrum case” and “the Aarushi Talwar murder case”. Most recently, she appeared for journalist Priya Ramani in a criminal defamation case filed by former Union Minister MJ Akbar in a Delhi court.

The case against Ramani, who made allegations of sexual harassment against the journalist, was dismissed. This case acted as an emblem of the women's empowerment movement in India. Rebecca Ma’am’s work has had a significant impact on the lives of women in India.

Through her legal representation and advocacy, she has helped many women get justice and access to their rights. Her contributions have also helped to create a more supportive and inclusive environment for women in the legal profession and beyond.

General Details

Date: March 5, 2023 (Sunday)
Time: 11 AM to 12 PM
Mode: Online

About GCRCJS

Recognizing that a comprehensive appreciation of the technicalities, complexities and patterns of criminal law is indispensable for realizing the goals of the law, the University established the Centre for Research in Criminal Justice Sciences. (GCRCJS) It is a Centre dedicated to carrying out research in the niche area of Criminal Law. The Centre provides a platform for a holistic research environment and aims to further knowledge and academic discussions about the multifaceted dimensions of criminal science.

About the Event

International Women’s Day, celebrated on the 8th of March, is a significant occasion to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a brutally repressed protest by New York City’s female garment and textile workers. The day serves as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women and to raise awareness about the challenges they still face, particularly in the realm of criminal justice.

Women have traditionally been underrepresented in the criminal justice system, both as victims and participants. According to the World Bank, only 33% of judges and prosecutors are women around the globe.

In India, this underrepresentation is further concerning, as there has been no female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to date. Out of the sanctioned strength of 34 judges, only three are women. The representation of women judges in High Courts is only 11.5% of the sanctioned strength. Furthermore, only 15% of practising lawyers in India are women.

Despite the legal protections in place for women in India, violence against women remains rampant. Globally, one in three women has experienced sexual violence. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, over 330,000 crimes against women were reported in India in 2019, with 49 offences against women being lodged every hour.

Additionally, there has been a 20% increase in crimes against women every year. This violence manifests in many forms, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. To address this issue, it is essential to raise awareness about women’s rights and to improve the implementation of existing protections.