Shalu Nigam

  Much is being written about feminist lawyering in the West; however, this work examines this idea in the Indian context, its elements, dimensions, challenges one may face, and the way it is being practiced. While reflecting on case laws and activism, this work suggests that Feminist lawyering in a profoundly hierarchical society is a much broader concept than that of traditional lawyering, where a lawyer works not to win the case’ but aims at the larger goals of eliminating inequalities, contesting patriarchy, challenging sexist stereotypes, and addressing structural and systemic conditions that perpetuate male-domination. Feminist lawyering demands affirmative actions besides survivor-centric or victim-centric justice, which entails understanding the situation using the intersectionality paradigm. The purpose of feminist lawyering is to negotiate and contest women’s rights at various levels, where the lawyers strive to transform the androcentric systems to enforce the constitutional

  Different Facets of Feminist Lawyering in India 18 October 2022 Much is being written about feminist lawyering in the West, but what is the purpose of feminist lawyering in the patriarchal context in third-world nations? While reflecting on case laws and activism in India, this essay argues that feminist lawyering in a deeply hierarchical society is a much broader concept than that of traditional lawyering where a lawyer works not to `win the case’ but aims at the larger goals of eliminating inequalities, eradicating oppression, challenging sexist stereotypes, abolishing fascism and addressing conditions that perpetuate domination. In a society, where citizenship rights are denied to certain groups based on social parameters such as gender, race, caste, class, or religion, feminist lawyering in such a context has to be understood broadly as a practice that supports those on the margins while holding the state accountable. It is about questioning the androcentric norms within and outs