Stride Towards Equality: Discussing the Legality and Limits of Abortion Laws in India
ABOUT THE EVENT:
The expert speaker will focus on the topic “A Stride Towards Equality: Discussing the Legality and Limits of Abortion Laws in India”, which aims to provide a platform for a productive and insightful discussion about the abortion laws in the country and how contemporary society views them. This event aims to shed light on the legal framework surrounding abortion in India, its impact on women’s reproductive rights, and the ongoing debate on striking the balance between the rights of the pregnant individual and the unborn child.
Abortion has been a topic of intense discussion and controversy, particularly in the context of women’s rights and bodily autonomy. The speaker will explore the challenges faced by women in navigating the complexities of abortion laws and engage in an informed and respectful dialogue on the complexities and challenges of abortion laws in India.
The event will feature the speaker who will share their expertise and perspectives on various aspects of abortion laws, including the legal framework, constitutional rights, medical ethics, and societal implications. The event also aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by marginalized communities, where access to safe and legal abortion services may be limited or non-existent. It seeks to encourage meaningful conversations and brainstorm potential solutions to ensure equitable access to reproductive healthcare for all. The speaker will explore the current legal landscape in India, discussing the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971 and recent developments in the interpretation and application of abortion laws.
DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER:
Ms. Aishwarya Bhati, Additional Solicitor General of India and Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Ms. Aishwarya Bhati, holding the position of Additional Solicitor General of India from the year of 2020, has the distinction of being the youngest woman lawyer & the only one from Rajasthan, to be conferred the designation of a Senior Advocate from the Supreme Court of India in March 2019 and has represented the Union Government in a variety of cases, ranging from the constitutional validity of the Agnipath scheme to abortion rights. As a Senior Advocate, she played a key role in the case that led the Supreme Court to hold that Short Service Commissioned (SSC) women officers in the Indian Army were entitled to permanent commission.
In August 2022, she assisted the Supreme Court in a case where a 25-year-old unmarried woman sought to terminate her 24-week pregnancy, which was not allowed under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. In September 2022, the Supreme Court widened the scope of the rules to allow unmarried women to terminate pregnancy.
Ms. Bhati noted that the amendments to India’s Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 were path-breaking. “The constitutional courts have ironed out small issues with the act and the rules in a seamless manner”, she said.
She was Advocate-on-Record of the Supreme Court of India for 13 years prior to her designation as a Senior Advocate. Being a former Additional Advocate General for U.P. in the Supreme Court from 2017 to 2020, she was the Counsel for the High Court of Delhi in the Supreme Court. She was a volunteer at the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC), and Supreme Court Middle Income Group Legal Aid Society (MIG) from the beginning of her professional journey. She is also the fourth woman in the country to occupy the coveted position of Additional Solicitor General of India.
Ms. Bhati has passionately fought for rights for women, children and people with disabilities, and sustainable environmental laws and has also been a crusader advocate for anti-tobacco litigation.
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. The University offers teaching, research and training programmes in law and inter-disciplinary fields such as Arts, Commerce, Science and Technology, Business Administration and Social Work at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It is the only National Law University that is offering integrated undergraduate law degrees in five areas – B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.S.W. LL.B. (Hons.), B.Com. LL.B. (Hons.), B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), and B.Sc. LL.B. (Hons.); full-time LL.M., PhD in law and other disciplines as recommended by the UGC as well as diploma/certificate courses in various areas.
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 holistic research in the environment and aims to further knowledge and academic discussion about multifaceted dimensions of criminal science.
DATE & TIME:
5th August 2023 (Saturday), 11.00 AM to 12.00 PM
MODE:
Virtual (Cisco Webex)
ELIGIBILITY:
The Expert Lecture is open for Students, Lawyers, Research Scholars, Teachers, Judges, Professionals and Academicians or for anyone who is interested in the topic of the Expert Lecture.
Please Note: There is no registration fee. Further, no certificate shall be issued for attending the webinar.
HOW TO REGISTER:
The Expert Lecture will be conducted on Cisco Webex, details of which will be shared with the participants in due course of time.
To register for the Expert Lecture, click the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhTDKhmvAH4SZbUfcseX2qY3Td39HAvmr3D2F2n0G1RCyg0Q/viewform?pli=1
Please note: The last date to register is 3rd August 2023 (Thursday), before 7.00 PM.
CONTACT DETAILS:
For any queries, kindly write back to us at: gcrcjs@gnlu.ac.in or contact Mr. Shubh Naik (+91-9824330830).
Stride Towards Equality: Discussing the Legality and Limits of Abortion Laws in India, Stride Towards Equality
