DraftCraft International Supports Widow Rights Campaign in India

India | Affirmative Action

In a move braced to initiate widow reforms across India, Media-Legal Thinktank DraftCraft International headed by Solicitor Gajanan Khergamker launched a Ground Zero Project on 'Widow Reforms: Mores And Laws' at Herwad Village in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra starting 1 June 2022. 

The move is an outcome of resolutions passed unanimously by the Herwad Gram Panchayat, headed by Sarpanch Surgonda Patil and Social Reformer Pramod Zinjade’s organisation Mahatma Phule Samaj Seva Mandal (MPSSM) requesting DraftCraft International to intervene and provide media-legal assistance for the issue. 

Conflict-related Sexual Violence

World | Conflict and Excess
The effects of sexual violence echo across generations, through trauma, stigma, poverty, poor health and unwanted pregnancy. The children whose existence emanates from that violence have been labelled “bad blood” or “children of the enemy”, and alienated from their mother’s social group. Their vulnerability may leave them susceptible to recruitment, radicalization and trafficking. In South Sudan, sexual violence has become so prevalent that members of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan have described women and girls as “collectively traumatized”.

Bridging Gaps in African Democracies

Africa | Democratic Processes
In 2019, general elections will be held in many African countries, offering them an opportunity to deepen, consolidate, and institutionalize democracy and strengthen their governance systems. Nevertheless, as the 2018 presidential elections in several African countries have shown, without a governing process supported by true separation of powers, effective checks and balances, an independent judiciary, a free press, and a robust and politically active civil society, the 2019 elections will most likely have limited impact on freedom and equality across the continent.

A Progressive Juvenile Justice Reform Model

North America | Juvenile Justice
California has evolved from having one of the most draconian, costly juvenile justice systems to becoming a model of reform. There is still progress to be made, but the last few years of legislative gains are encouraging.  Under a progressive state legislature and the leadership of Gov. Jerry Brown, California has ushered in a staggering number of new laws to correct a flawed, punitive and dysfunctional youth justice system.

The Clitoral Hood

India | FGM
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) amongst Bohras in India has gained systematic public attention since 2012. The issue first rose to prominence because of two international legal cases on FGM/C against practicing Bohras in Australia and the US. We have since seen the rise of a strong survivor-led movement calling for an end to the practice of Khafd amongst Bohras. This anti-FGM/C movement seeks to end the practice through legal reform in India and by raising community awareness about the impact of the harmful traditional practice.

Law On Rape Of Minors Is Populist, Must Be Inclusive

India | Gender
Of all offences, it’s the crime of rape that fires public sentiment the most, eliciting an outrage that exceeds the seemingly worst felony of all - murder too. It has probably more to do with the offence and associated gory details staying, even being replayed ruthlessly in memory with continual mention and recall that compound its severity. It’s this outrage that offsets any chance of the very objectivity needed to tackle the issue. The Kathua crime followed by the most recent Ordinance on ‘child’ rape, being a case in point.

Slow But Steady Upgrades In Gender Law

India | Gender
The recent rape incidents in Kathua and Unnao in Jammu & Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh respectively, have once again brought the issue of women’s safety in India to the forefront. These incidents garnered global attention, albeit negative, of national and international media with some groups allegedly even donning T-shirts across the world warning women to not visit India. The Kathua rape and murder case, in particular, brought back memories of the Nirbhaya rape case and triggered widespread protests.

Legislature, Judiciary at Loggerheads

India | Law
The legislature in India often finds itself in a Catch22 situation with having to contend with the judiciary’s interpretation of a situation. Like the union government’s concern for ‘drunken driving and road safety’ issues. A Supreme Court (SC) order swiftly struck down a union government ‘Model Policy’ created to put into place rules to assuage the central government’s concern for public health, while dodging clear of states’ excise earnings. The SC said, there is no Fundamental Right under Article 19(1)(g) to trade in liquor: Liquor has been regarded as res extra commercium as decided in several judgements that include State of Bihar v Nirmal Kumar Gupta (2013), and a series of others.

Denial, Willed In Life, Is Not Suicide

India | Law
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the right of a person to make a Living Will, while hearing a petition by a registered society ‘Common Cause’, has underlined the inevitable. The petition concerned the right of a person to decide on the chain of events that would determine the future course of treatment should that person become incapable of making such a decision.

Female Genital Mutilation Fact-Sheet

World | Gender
Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
The practice is mostly carried out by traditional circumcisers, who often play other central roles in communities, such as attending childbirths. In many settings, health care providers perform FGM due to the erroneous belief that the procedure is safer when medicalized. WHO strongly urges health professionals not to perform such procedures.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

World | LGBT

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council - Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Recalling that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action affirms that all human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated, that the international community must treat human rights globally in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis, and that while the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds must be borne in mind, it is the duty of States, regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems, to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms.