Facilitating Access to Justice and Social Change:
Legal Education and Empowerment
Centre for Social Justice and Legal Empowerment

T

he Centre for Social Justice (csj) is a socio-legal, nongovernmental organization (ngo) initiated by the Institute forDevelopment Education and Learning (ideal). Csj is one of the firstorganizations of its kind in India that uses the judicial system to fight for therights of marginalized people.
Csj first began operating through a network of law centers acrossGujarat in 1993. Today, csj has expanded to several states, including Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Odisha, Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka and responds to nearly 3,000 cases a year.
Its law centers in different states have lawyers, paralegals and researchers who are passionate about making a difference. They affect change every day by ensuring minorities like women, Dalits, tribals and other sociallyvulnerable groups get access to the rights guaranteed to them. The lawyers,
paralegals and researchers have been handling cases of different sectors
such as women, laborers, fisherfolk, consumers, farmers and children, andissues involving land, identity, amenities and social security.1
It intervenes at various points including providing legal aid, helping
document complaints and leading fact-finding activities, filing cases, contacting relevant authorities, pushing entitlement claims, spreading legal
awareness, public advocacy campaigns, training young lawyers and paralegals, identifying violations of civil liberties and serving as a watchdog forhuman rights violations and abuses.
It is registered under the Societies Registration Act (1860) and Bombay
Public Trust Act (1950).

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Vision, Mission and Programs
Csj has adopted the following vision and mission:
VisionTo strengthen human rights culture and an all-inclusive pluralist society, free of violence, injustice, discrimination, prejudices and stereotyping.
Mission• To use law for social change to ensure access to justice to vulnerable
communities and to secure social justice, equity and equality, andfraternity;• To promote an enabling policy and legislative environment that
respects, promotes and protects human rights of vulnerable
communities.
Core Engagements
As an organization that uses the law to bring about systemic changes toremove barriers in accessing justice, particularly for marginalized communities, csj also works to expand the reach of mechanisms already in place.

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Csj engages in the following programs:• Legal awareness - disseminating information about legal rights andentitlements through awareness programs including campaigns,
radio shows and street plays;• Legal aid - addressing legal issues of individuals and communities
by assisting them in litigation and facilitating their entitlements
and claims under various laws and enactments;• Alternative dispute resolution - using formal and informal dispute
resolution mechanisms to resolve a legal dispute between two parties by activating formal state agencies such as permanent conciliation boards and mediation centers. It also involves activating andworking with informal spaces including Anjuman, mahila mandals, village heads, etc.;• Legal capacity-building - conducting various capacity-building
programs to develop the capacities of young lawyers, paralegals,
volunteers, Civil Society Organizations and government stakeholders to use the law to ensure that rights and entitlements are guaranteed to the vulnerable;• Legal reform - using experiences, learnings and best practices fromgrassroots intervention to critique existing laws and policies tomake them more sensitive to the needs of vulnerable groups.
Further, it has always advocated for the formation of platforms thatwould expand the reach of justice by making legal processes and mechanisms more responsive to the needs of communities.
Csj implements its programs through the following activities:
a. Strengthening Institutional Mechanisms
It works with the Asil Manch (Litigant’s Forum), a forum for litigants tocome together to generate awareness about their rights, provide legal support and raise issues of efficiency, transparency and accountability of the
judiciary.
Csj provides support to the Asil Manch in generating awareness about
the rights of litigants, and provides legal support in raising issues of efficiency, transparency and accountability of judiciary. Asil Manch works asa countervailing force against the erring justice delivery mechanisms and50

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operates from the perspective not of rights to be needed but of rights to be
exercised and demanded.
The legal support of csj to Asil Manch facilitates the participation of thecommunity at large in accessing the justice delivery mechanisms. It aims at
setting up of a system where the forum itself, the justice delivery mechanism
and csj are mutually accountable. Asil Manch also contributes in building
the efficiency and effectiveness of the social justice lawyers by demanding amore transparent approach towards its stakeholders.
Asil Manch advocates different issues through its centers and field
units. These include:• Activating Consumer Redressal Forum• Permanent office of Assistant Labour Commissioner• Abolishing the time limit in cases of recovery• Litigant defending herself/himself• Active participation of women in nyay panch (traditional court)• Demand for full-court hearing• Asking for clarity regarding the powers of District Panchayat or theCollector under Section 73 (A) (A)• Issues of human rights violations and labor rights• Issues pertaining to police• Issue of speedy disposal of cases in the labor court• Administrative and civic amenities in the court• Pressuring the judiciary for disposal of maintenance-related cases
within three months of their admission.
b. Advocacy Efforts
Csj joined the development of the only comprehensive quantitative index using the government’s own statistics to rank the capacity of the formal
justice system operating in various states. This is known as the India Justice
Report (ijr) that was first issued in 2019.2 This is a groundbreaking national
periodic reporting initiative that systematically evaluates the performanceand capacity of the key pillars of the justice delivery system in each Indianstate. Focused on the police, prison system, judiciary, and legal aid, the report uniquely brings together previously segregated information to measureeach state’s justice system against its own declared standards. By employing
criteria such as human resources, infrastructure, workload, and diversity,
the IJR assesses the collective ability of these pillars to fulfill their mandates.

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The report includes a trend analysis over a five-year period, offering insights
into the ongoing efforts of state governments to enhance the administrationof justice and adapt to evolving needs.
Recognizing the inadequacies of the government’s relief measures andthe exacerbated difficulties in implementing Direct Benefit Transfer (dbt)
schemes, csj embarked on a multifaceted approach named Talatod. It wasa strategic response to the profound challenges faced by marginalized communities during the covid-19 lockdown in India. This innovative initiative
involved the institutionalization of paid telephone volunteers, activating
District Legal Services Authorities (dlsas) for service camps, and crafting acomprehensive covid-19 Lockdown Monitoring Toolkit. The intervention
not only facilitated the direct delivery of entitlements to around 3,000 individuals in vulnerable areas but also extended its impact through awarenessbuilding and training programs, engaging over seven hundred participantsfrom diverse organizations across the country. Talatod stands as a testament to csj’s commitment to social justice lawyering, demonstrating the
integration of legal expertise with creative solutions to address systemic issues and advocate for holistic policy designs.
c. Engagement with the Legal Services Authorities
Csj makes recommendations on how legal service authorities in India
can help women and other marginalized groups in availing justice. Constantadvocacy with the Department of Justice and National Legal Service
Authority (nalsa)3 is a key step in ensuring implementation of three key
reforms, namely:• Ensuring effective implementation of the nalsa Standard
Operating Procedures for Undertrial Review Committees;• Strengthening the free legal aid system;• Ensuring effective implementation of the 2018 Victim Compensation
Scheme.
Recently, csj also initiated action research to understand how well theseschemes have been implemented and presented some recommendations.
d. Research and knowledge creation
Since its inception, csj has been involved in extensive action-based research on various themes of social justice and human rights. Csj has pro-

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vided a grassroots perspective to the application and implementation ofnumerous laws related to abortion, forest rights, disaster relief, gender andland rights, labor rights, rights of religious minorities, right to information,
Scheduled Castes and many more.
Csj produced a compelling compilation showcasing transformative stories of lawyers it has trained. The book entitled Appearances and Beyond
reflects on the challenges faced by young lawyers from vulnerable communities, emphasizing the importance of identity-building in their professional journey. Csj’s approach combines legal training with broader social
awareness, creating a cadre of lawyers committed to social justice lawyering.
Through this book, csj aims to inspire others and contribute to the larger
discourse on access to justice for the vulnerable.
Social Justice Lawyering, within the framework of csj, represents an activist legal practice aimed at transforming power dynamics and facilitating
the assertion of rights for the marginalized. Csj’s approach involves not only
providing legal aid but also focuses on social transformation through principles of empowerment. The organization strategically strengthens and sensitizes systems for ensuring human rights, develops paralegals as community
bridges, and fosters community lawyers as change agents. This methodology
creates a cadre of lawyers recognized for their commitment to social justice,challenging traditional legal paradigms and contributing to broader humanrights advocacy.
Capacity-building
Csj engages in extensive capacity-building activities because empoweringcommunities is an institutional mandate. It undertakes various activities
to build internal capacity-building of members of the organization, while
engaging with various stakeholders who aid or assist its goal of furthering
access to justice for all.
Capacity-building is defined as the process of developing and strengthening the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that organization and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in the fast-changing
world. It is a combination of knowledge (the underlying mental and psychological readiness to use the knowledge) and the threshold of skills thatencourages self-practice. It includes:

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Human resources development, which is the process of equipping individuals with understanding and skills, along with accessto information, knowledge and training to enable them to perform
effectively;
Creation of an enabling physical and infrastructural environment
to promote development;
Organizational development, which includes the elaboration ofmanagement structures, processes and procedures, not only withinorganizations but between the different organizations and sectors;
Institutional and legal framework development, the scope of which
includes making legal and regulatory changes to enable organizations, institutions and agencies at all levels and in all sectors to enhance their capacities.

It works in the lawyer-paralegal framework and trainings are not justaimed at strengthening the understanding of legal systems but also to ensure inclusion of the voices of members of marginalized communities tohelp them understand the reality of the legal systems.
It adopted the following Guiding Principles for its capacity-building
efforts:
1. We are: Recipient oriented—
It is imperative that the curriculum is tailored to suit the participants
to ensure its relevance. Systems undertaking training are mindful ofthe participants’ social context, their surroundings and experiences,
and assimilate this into the curriculum.
Using csj’s clear perspective on vulnerability and victimhood, thecapacity-building process should result in empowerment of themarginalized communities. This makes it essential that the collective and ever-changing understanding of vulnerability that csj has
developed is constantly reflected in the implementation of its capacity-building initiatives.
Csj approaches vulnerability and victimhood with a transformative
lens, aligning with the ethos that vulnerability is a strength rather
than a weakness. Csj embraces collective vulnerability derived from54

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Freirean pedagogy, emphasizing a rights-based perspective thattranscends a simplistic win-lose framework. Vulnerability becomesa powerful tool for societal change, fostering a collective effort forsocial development.
Csj rejects the notion of victimhood as a stagnant state and, instead,focuses on developing identities of community leaders and activists
who become agents of social change. Its commitment to strengthening media messaging, utilizing technology, and engaging with diverse stakeholders reflects a nuanced understanding of vulnerability
as a dynamic force that propels meaningful discourse and societal
transformation.
Csj’s perspective on vulnerability transcends traditional victimhood
narratives, aligning with Freire’s vision by embracing collective vulnerability as a catalyst for action and progress. This approach translates into the idea that acknowledging and navigating vulnerability
is integral to fostering genuine connections, building authentic relationships, and creating a society grounded in self-acceptance andempathy. Csj recognizes the pivotal role of vulnerability in understanding complex social situations and navigating through messy
data to arrive at clear outcomes.
2. Pedagogy Matters—
The content used in capacity-building reflects its core philosophy:
the need for alternative legal education with a focus on the identityof the individuals and their collective identities, combining skills, information and perspective.
Csj believes that traditional capacity-building curriculums place undue emphasis on cognitive aspects. Its approach has a wider reachand considers other aspects such as perspective building, identity
formation, in addition to skill development, to facilitate individual
learning.
It also takes into account the fact that individuals benefitting fromthis are adults, and therefore, they prefer and even appreciate a self-

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determined pace to learning. As a consequence, the curriculum is
not designed to spoon-feed but to enable them to learn for themselves. This means learning is a continuous process, and must remain flexible to newer ways, ideas and changes.
3. Sharing the Responsibility—
The responsibility to learn and empower must be shared jointly by
individuals participating in these activities and in the structures responsible for designing capacity-building initiatives.
4. Must Enable Interacting with the External Environment—
Since the intervention is systemic and feeds into the work that csj
does, it is imperative that capacity-building initiatives further thecontact between recipients (participants) and their surroundings as
opposed to being seen as independent from social and economic
contexts.
This means that economic and social empowerment is a logical extension of such activities. Ensuring that individuals are equipped in
more than one way and are able to see connections between what
they are taught and their circumstances are essential. For instance,
securing property rights for women involved in domestic violence
cases or obtaining compensation in instances of rape not only ensures justice but also prevents undue compromises compelled byadverse circumstances.

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H U M A N R I G H T S E D U C AT I O N I N A S I A - PA C I F I C · V O L U M E 1 3 , 2 0 2 3Land Rights: An intersection of law and multiple identities
CSJ is actively involved in the crucial work of promoting legal empowerment
for land rights, with a particular focus on rural women. The aim is to address themultifaceted challenges faced by women in controlling and owning land, consideringboth social and legal factors. CSJ also operates through coalitions of civil society
organizations and development professionals dedicated to advancing women’s landownership rights.
The land rights work undertaken by CSJ is driven by the recognition of key
factors influencing women’s control and ownership of land that include social barriers
and lack of legal empowerment. Social factors include prevailing mindsets against
women owning land, limited social status, and inadequate skills in managing land.
Legal empowerment encompasses creating awareness, establishing responsive
mechanisms, removing procedural/systemic blocks, and ensuring a positive legal
environment.
Since its establishment, CSJ has been actively involved in legal interventions
concerning various aspects of Adivasi rights. This includes forest land rights,
addressing atrocities, labor cases, and ensuring the effective implementation of
constitutional amendments, particularly the 73rd amendment (establishment of selfgovernment institutions [called Panchayats] in rural areas).
Operating within a comprehensive framework that systematically analyzes the intricate relationship between Adivasis and theState, csj engages proactively with progressive laws such as Forest
Rights Act (fra), Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas Act(pesa), and government schemes tailored for the education and skill
development of Adivasis. Csj is committed to generating awareness,filing claims, and collaborating with communities to facilitate therealization of their forest rights.
Csj collaborates with voluntary agencies on land and forest rights, providing logistical and media support to Adivasi
Mahasabha—a movement dedicated to tribal rights. The establishment of Adivasi Mahila Manch and Swabhumi Kendra underscorescsj’s focused intervention in women’s rights, emphasizing the mutation of women’s names in property records and the transfer ofproperty titles as per customary practices and laws within Adivasi
communities.

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Through targeted interventions, csj operationalizes pesa at theGram Sabha level, creating awareness, mobilizing communities, andcollaborating with the state for law implementation. Its intervention
deploys preventive measures to unite the community based on its
Adivasi identity, prevent conflict, and preserve cultural heritage.
Legal aid, legal advice, strengthening alternate dispute resolution
mechanisms, investigation of human rights violations, legal awareness, and social-legal research are key activities undertaken. Csj has
also conducted an action research project on the implementation of
the 73rd amendment. Additionally, it works on issues related to thefra, ensuring the passage of pending claims and undertaking legal
actions for wrongly rejected claims.
Csj’s work involves a comprehensive strategy, including the creation of awareness through trained paralegals, innovative approaches like games, quizzes, and educational materials. The implementation of a paralegal training program, initiated as an action research,
proved instrumental in enhancing women’s ability to claim theirland rights. This process included the selection, identity-building,and assimilation of paralegals within organizational settings.
Guided by csj, the initiative goes beyond awareness creation andalso focuses on creating a mechanism to respond to claims. Trained
paralegals under this program have successfully settled numerous
land claims, underscoring the need for responsive mechanisms.
Additionally, csj addresses procedural and systemic blocks by working at two levels: fostering a positive environment among duty bearers and understanding and overcoming systemic hindrances.
The ongoing efforts by csj exemplify a transformative approach
towards achieving women’s land rights. Through targeted legal empowerment strategies, the initiative not only raises awareness but
also actively engages in creating practical mechanisms and advocating for systemic changes to ensure a more just and equitable landownership landscape for women
Women’s Rights: CSJ’s Impact in Legal Empowerment
Csj has been actively involved in the pursuit of social justice,particularly concerning the intricate challenges faced by women
within the socio-legal framework. It is dedicated to unraveling com-

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plexities hindering women’s access to justice and has made substantial progress in enhancing the implementation of legal provisions
related to violence against women. Through strategic capacitybuilding initiatives, it cultivates women’s leadership, especially in
marginalized communities, and conducts awareness campaigns tosensitize officials, thereby fostering a more responsive legal environment for women.
Csj’s impactful interventions extend to strengthening existingmechanisms and advocating for crucial reforms. Key initiatives include the evaluation study on Nari Adalats, spearheading the appointment of Protection Officers under the Prevention of Domestic
Violence Act, and successfully campaigning for the establishmentof Family Courts in Gujarat. Its research and knowledge creation
efforts, collaborations with key stakeholders like Working Group on
Women’s Land Rights (wgwlr), and policy recommendations significantly contribute to shaping a more equitable legal landscape forwomen.
Csj actively engages in targeted interventions, such as addressing the alarming issue of witch hunting, demonstrating its commitment to effecting positive change and ensuring justice for all women.
Socio-legal intervention: Amidst court and community
In dealing with cases of sexual harassment, rape, and childabuse, csj implemented strategic interventions to safeguard therights of the individuals affected.
One instance involved a child sexual harassment case, wherecsj meticulously prepared the survivor for court proceedings. The
outcome included a compensation of Rs 50,000 and a three-year
imprisonment term for the accused. In another case, where a pregnant minor was raped, csj provided vital support during the trial,securing a conviction and advocating for the victim’s protection under Child Welfare Committee care. Despite initial challenges, csj’s
efforts resulted in an interim compensation of Rs 175,000 for thesurvivor.
For cases related to false allegations and domestic violence, csj
employed conciliation strategies to facilitate resolution, emphasizing community involvement and awareness. The organization effec-

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tively navigated threats and arrests, ensuring safety for the victims.
In a different case, false abduction charges were withdrawn as csj
sensitized families about respecting individual choices and preventing the misuse of legal provisions.
These interventions not only achieved legal justice but also addressed socio-economic aspects, including compensation for survivors and heightened awareness about additional compensation for
rape-related pregnancy. Furthermore, community sensitization initiatives sought to create an atmosphere of respect and understanding, curbing the misuse of legal mechanisms.
Csj’s multifaceted legal interventions, spanning various issues,
exemplify its commitment to economic and social empowerment.
By strategically navigating legal processes, providing essential support, and securing fair compensation, csj not only ensures legal
justice but also empowers survivors economically and socially, fostering broader community awareness and understanding. It actively
engages in capacity-building, equipping individuals and communities with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate legal systems effectively. Through international collaborations, csj extends
its impact globally, contributing to a collective effort to address
global challenges and promote legal empowerment. Advocating forminority rights, prisoners’ rights, and socio-economic rights, csj
champions inclusivity, equal opportunities, and social justice. In its
pursuit of access to justice, csj’s interventions transcend normative
legal boundaries, fostering positive change and empowering communities worldwide.
5. Keep in Line with csj’s Systemic Intervention—
Capacity-building efforts should be aligned with the ongoing workof the organization. The usefulness or application of learnings musthave a direct relationship with enhancing csj’s work. This means
training inputs are linked directly to action in the field.
To illustrate, csj works on land rehabilitation issues in Katni districtin Madhya Pradesh. The issue was identified through a campaign
organized in May 2015. After following up with the residents, sur-

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veying the area for rehabilitation beneficiaries was considered imperative to carry forward the efforts. The Capacity Building Unit,
in consultation with the operational unit in the district, scheduledtraining activities on land awareness and land rights so that paralegals and volunteers are trained to contribute to interventions thatpertain to these issues.
The outcome of these guiding principles accounts for two ideas: maintaining a balance between the bare minimum knowledge and skills that must
be ensured to be learned and the emerging practical realities that have to beconsidered in applying the knowledge and skills learned. Csj developed astructure based on its decades-long experience of working in the field of access to justice that is best suited to accommodate these principles.
Capacity-building Interventions
Broadly, people working in the field of legal advocacy comprise the legal
community. Capacity-building interventions for the people in the legal
community take the following forms:
a. Awareness campaign (Level 0)
Expected outcome: Identifying volunteers.
b. Orientation of Identified Volunteers (Level 1)
Expected outcome for institution: Link to the community.
Expected outcome for target group: Formation of a new identity,
understanding vulnerability better and learning to identify humanrights issues.
c. Training for Paralegals (Level 2)
Expected outcome for institution: Solidifying grip on identificationof issues through volunteers: first step towards identifying individuals who are capable of furthering the access to justice framework.
Expected outcome for target group: Familiarity with basic laws like
Right to Information, basic schemes, etc.

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d. Training for Paralegals (Level 3)
Expected outcome for institution: Solidifying the pool of individuals, assistance in drafting, learning to file basic applications, etc.
Expected outcome for target group: Drafting skills, understanding
the legal system and its processes, and participating in those processes at an elementary level.
Paralegals play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between communities,
legal processes, and the judicial system. Trained to simplify complex legal
procedures, they empower individuals by disseminating legal information,aiding in pre-litigative work, and facilitating out-of-court settlements. Theirunique ability to convert social problems into legal cases contributes to arights-based approach, addressing injustices through strategic use of the legal system. Paralegals serve crucial roles in delivering services, enhancing
legal awareness, updating dispute resolution systems, and adding a social
perspective to courtroom proceedings. Their involvement spans diverse
areas, from family counseling centers and family courts to environmental
issues, prisons, and Gram Nyayalayas. Recognizing the need for formal legitimacy, paralegals can be strategically appointed in various capacities toensure effective access to justice. Their role extends to training and education, emphasizing a contextualized, need-based, and rights-focused approach that goes beyond mere information dissemination. Integrating
pedagogical strategies and socio-legal justice principles, paralegal training
becomes a key element in empowering communities and fostering legal
empowerment.
An Account of a Paralegal (From Appearances and Beyond):
Dipak Acharya’s journey from paralegal volunteer at csj to a recognizedlawyer showcases the impact of hands-on legal experience. Trained by csj,
he gained insights into human rights, labor rights and environmental laws.
His role in securing compensation for farmers without court intervention
demonstrates the effectiveness of alternative lawyering. Now, with over five
years of experience, Acharya emphasizes solving cases at minimum expenseand prioritizing client satisfaction over monetary gains. His story underscores the significance of paralegals in delivering justice and earning thetrust of the community.

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Human Rights Education in the School System
In its fifteen-year journey, csj realized that reactionary strategies for justice
do not suffice. In order to truly see justice, the following aspects also need
to be considered:
1. The root causes of human rights violations/abuses must be
identified;
2. Children are part and parcel of a larger system and are also perpetrators, victims, and bystanders of human rights abuses;
3. Awareness about rights among vulnerable communities is essential;
4. Respect for human rights must be instilled in perpetrators;
5. Human rights education is serious business but the process for thesame can be positive which supports the larger mission of establishing human rights culture in society;
6. Human rights education must be integrated in the existing National
Curriculum Framework (2005) in the state curriculum.
Recognizing the need to take not only a reactive approach to the protection of human rights, csj decided to initiate a human rights education
program in order to take a more proactive preventative approach to humanrights violations/abuses. The program was envisioned to employ democratic
teaching/learning processes, provide space for dialogue, address stereotypes
and prejudices, and internalize respect for human rights for all.
Therefore, in 2005, when the Institute of Human Rights Education in
Tamil Nadu was looking for a partner in the State of Gujarat, csj agreed
to take on the task. Over the course of three years, csj extended its human rights education program to fifty schools in three districts of Gujarat.
Human rights were taught as an independent subject matter for two periods
a week of forty-five minutes each.
Human rights education has been understood by different stakeholders in different ways. The 2005 National Curriculum Framework takes a
Democracy-centered approach where democracy is not just as mode ofgovernance but rather a set of principles to be internalized consisting of
Equality, Social Justice, Freedom, and secularism all of which are inherent
in the Constitution of India. The curriculum also mentions the diversity of
the country and specifies that education should enhance respect for thisdiversity. The curriculum also presents the importance of peace education,
specifying that education has a special role to play in establishing peace.

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Csj human rights education curriculum
Considering all aspects of human rights education, and recognizing thesituation in Gujarat, csj decided to adapt an integrated framework where
diversity, peace and citizenship education were merged with human rights
education. Following the Godhra carnage in 2002,4 it was strongly felt thatconflicts between communities were increasing and that tolerance levels
were being reduced. Thus, after a three-year effort of research and training,csj developed the first curriculum for peace, citizenship, diversity and human rights education in the state of Gujarat.
Csj started its human rights education program for school children
in 2005 on a pilot phase. Teachers and human rights education experts in
Gujarat initiated the first steps by building their understanding of diversity,
discrimination, peace, conflict, methods of conflict resolution, and citizenship in relation to human rights at a five-day workshop. At the end of fivedays, teachers were able to design the framework and lesson plans for thecsj Human Rights Education curriculum. This framework was then given toa team of artists who worked on creating poems, stories, dramas and othercreative methods for the themes of each lesson. Following the two steps of
curriculum development, the program went into its final stages and threebooklets and two audio cassettes were produced.
CSJ methodology
It was clear from csj’s earlier experiences with ALE and training sessions for different cadres on Access to Justice that a simple knowledge ofhuman rights does not lead to the internalization of human rights values.
Along with knowledge, it is critical that the right attitude and belief as wellas the skills to exercise one’s own rights are developed.
Therefore, in designing the human rights education curriculum forschool children, the csj team chose to focus on three areas:• Knowledge• Values, beliefs and attitudes• Action.
Through its human rights education program, csj hoped to achieve thefollowing objectives:• To strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedom;

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To facilitate the full development of the human personality and its
inherent dignity;
To internalize respect for diversity; andTo inculcate courage to take a stance against rights violations.

These are important objectives in creating a model for human rights
education for school children and for advocating with the government tointegrate human rights education in the state education curriculum.
Teacher’s training methodology
The educator plays a central role in human rights education. The humanrights educator is the change agent in this whole process. Thus, looking at
the traditional teacher-student relationship which is very constricted andbased on fear and give and take, csj initiated a change process among theteachers through training.
Csj had the following objectives in mind:• To train the teachers to become co-learners with the students inorder to create a democratic environment where the facilitator selfintrospects in terms of his or her own stereotypes, prejudices, andattitudes;• To motivate educators to adapt creative, interactive methods ofteaching rather than using only lecture methods;• To foster new skills for human rights education and develop theeducators’ knowledge base on human rights; and• To strengthen the educators’ conviction to bring about change insociety, be an agent for change and take stands as and when needed.
Csj developed several training programs for human rights education
facilitators. It took the following steps in the trainings:
1. Basic training on human rights education
The basic training is mainly a change-oriented training. For this training, the participating teachers preferably constitute a mixed group interms of caste, class, gender and religion. This situation helps the teachers to explore their own identity, understand the politics of identity,
delve into their own stereotypes and prejudices, and explore the skills
and methods necessary to facilitate the teaching of human rights education lessons.

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2. Module-specific training
After the basic training, there are module-specific trainings designed
to take up different issues including diversity, discrimination leading toviolation of rights, peace, conflict, conflict resolution skills and citizenship. The module-specific trainings rigorously integrate knowledge, attitude and skills. This phase is focused more on building understanding
on issues.
3. Methodology training
Methodology trainings focus on designing teaching and learning materials, building clarity on methodology as well as practicing it.
The experience built during the initial human rights education phasein csj later led to conducting national-level Training of Trainers on humanrights education in eight states of India.
Awareness-raising Materials
Csj has produced films on several topics, particularly on the issues affecting women, for its public awareness program. It produced a film on witchhunting that affects women in southern Gujarat. The film entitled “Aad” isexplained as follows:5
Aad is a dangi word which literally means Allegation(Ilzam). Witch hunting is [a] superstitious practice from medieval ages which targets people especially women to rob [themof ] their land and property, to blame them for any incident. The
film is in dangi dialect which is spoken in southern Gujarat. The
film accounts interviews of lived experiences of women - widows, middle aged, from districts of Dangs, Dahod, [who] areostracized, targeted to rob their property [and grab] land fromthem. The film also talks about legal remedies for witch hunting.
It also has two other films on the women issue:• “Bhage Padti Bhoye” - Gujarati film on women’s land rights;• “Bharan Uposhan” - Maintenance right for women in case of domestic violence, rape and violence against women.
All csj films are available on YouTube.6
Csj reviews the impact of its materials through different engagement
strategies such as campaigns. The awareness materials employed in the dif-

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ferent campaigns as well as engagement strategies, such as patrikas (cards),
audios, videos, posters, music, and sutras (religious texts), were strategicallyutilized to disseminate socio-legal information. Door-to-door campaigns
leveraged patrikas effectively for emotive responses and addressing language barriers. In public spaces and Anganwadi (rural child care centers),
patrikas initiated discussions on key legal issues. Audio and video materials
were impactful in public spaces, schools, and bastis (group of houses), facilitating discussions and engagement, although some information-heavy videos required planned interactions for optimal responsiveness. Posters wereeffective in public spaces and Anganwadi, drawing attention and fosteringawareness. Music, while effective in gathering people at service camps andshivirs (camps), was identified as the least engaging medium. Sutras, painted
on walls during conversations, garnered attention, particularly in focused
spaces like Adivasi communities, requiring strategic engagement for meaningful discussions.
The materials include a series on domestic and sexual violence as well
as atrocities against Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes through the Neela
audio and video series and the film “Main Chup Nahi Rahungi,” videos onlabor compensation, a short film of pocso through Komal and songs in regional languages along with posters on the various labor, gender, caste, land,
farmers issues and rights that csj works on.

Screening “Komal” for villagers.

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Screening “Main Chup Nahi Rahungi.”

Showing “Nyaypur ki Neela” through flex where screening is not possible.

Young Professionals Program for Legal Empowerment7
Law students are csj’s specific target group. In 2014, it started the Young
Professionals Program for Legal Empowerment (ypple) with the objectiveof equipping young legal professionals to become powerful change agentsby giving them the opportunity to develop a holistic understanding of how
legal empowerment at the grassroots play a catalytic role in bringing socialchange.

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Ypple is a two-year program open to young law graduates/legal professionals who wish to pursue a career in the field of human rights. Willingness
to engage with field realities, to live in challenging conditions and to travel
extensively, are things every candidate must be willing to do. Candidates
must, above all, display a strong drive, motivation and commitment towards
working for social change.
A group of young legal professionals is assigned to support the implementation of csj activities. Each young legal professional spends a substantial duration in the field areas and the remaining time is dedicated towards
research and writing, reflections, inputs and capacity-building. They undertake the following activities:• Conduct field-based research on law and policy issues for formulating interventions and creating policy documents;• Coordinate training and capacity building programs;• Collaborate/coordinate programs with stakeholders including representations with various government authorities;• Contribute to the legal work of the organization;• Organize events to initiate public debate on issues; and• Bring in creative approaches and perspectives to the existing workof the organization.

YPPLE volunteers with children.

Ypple is now entering its tenth year. Till now, csj has placed aroundforty young aspiring researchers in its field areas, where they engage with

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YPPLE volunteers with children.

grassroots realities and in the process grow immensely both professionallyand personally. The program allows these young minds to pursue their true
interests, with each individual finding something that they can call theirown, be it a particular sphere of law, a work profile or a social cause theycare about.
Many ypples continue to be associated with csj beyond the duration of
the program and are helping csj work towards realizing its vision for a justand equitable society.
Conclusion
Since its inception in 1993, csj has expanded its reach across Gujarat,
Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, responding to thousands of cases annually.
The organization’s dedicated team of lawyers, paralegals, and researchers
operate across diverse sectors, addressing issues faced by women, laborers,
fisherfolk, consumers, farmers, and children.
Csj’s core engagements, rooted in its vision and mission, aim tostrengthen a human rights culture and foster an all-inclusive, pluralist society free from violence and discrimination. The organization pursues systemic changes through various programs, including legal awareness campaigns,
providing legal aid, alternative dispute resolution, legal capacity building,

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H U M A N R I G H T S E D U C AT I O N I N A S I A - PA C I F I C · V O L U M E 1 3 , 2 0 2 3and legal reform. Csj is committed to ensuring that vulnerable communities
have access to justice and advocating for an enabling policy environmentthat respects and protects human rights.
Looking ahead, csj envisions expanding its impact through digitizing
programs, mainstreaming grassroots learning, and collaborating with colleges to run courses. The organization remains dedicated to its mission ofcreating a more just, equitable, and fraternal society, empowered by thetransformative potential of law.
Endnotes
1 See the 2022-2023 Annual Report of the Centre for Social Justice for the number of cases handled during the 2022-2023 period, page 6.
2 See the 2022 report, India Justice Report: Ranking States on Police, Judiciary,
Prisons and Legal Aid, https://indiajusticereport.org/files/IJR%202022_Full_
Report1.pdf.
3 For more information on the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA),
visit https://nalsa.gov.in/about-us.
4 Also known as the 2002 Godhra train burning case that occurred in
Gujarat. For more information, read What is the 2002 Godhra train burning case?, The Indian Express, https://indianexpress.com/article/what-is/
what-is-godhra-case-gujarat-riots-sabarmati-express-narendra-modi-4881537/.
5 Text from Aad: Film by Centre for Social Justice on social issue of Witch
hunting in Dangi Dialect, www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rKB2lmV2HU.
6 Centre for Social Justice YouTube channel:“Aad” - film by Centre for Social Justice on social issue of Witch hunting in
Dangi Dialect, www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rKB2lmV2HU.
“Bhage Padti Bhoye” - Gujarati film on Women Land Rights, www.youtube.
com/watch?v=uaMGN2uvvuw“Bharan Poshan” - Maintenance Right #Women_Rights #fundamental_rights,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B8l_gHjKsE
7 For more information on YPPLE, see its 2023 brochure, www.centreforsocialjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/ypple_brochure_2023_24.pdf.

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Annex A. Stakeholders
1. Trainers
Internal: Apart from the pool of people in the RaCB unit and the Rehbar group, othermembers of the operational units also fall into this category. The CSJ’s mandates require
the conduct of capacity-building activities at the local level and to support the membersof the operational units, CSJ conducts training sessions for trainers.
External: These include resource persons in the field, who have specialized informationand engagement with laws and the legal system. They are invited to join the training
activities of CSJ.
2. Recipients
Volunteers
They are CSJ’s connection to communities the organization works with. They primarily
help in identifying issues relevant to the community. Thus, it is essential for them todevelop an understanding of vulnerability and the rights framework CSJ focuses on.
(note: please add info on who are the volunteers and how are they recruited.)
Internal Paralegals
CSJ works on the lawyer-paralegal framework. Under this framework, paralegals
compose the group of individuals who have been associated with the organization fora certain period and reflected a desire and competence to work in the field of access tojustice since they were volunteers. They are expected to have a skill set which contributes
to the work of the unit. In addition to having an identity in the community, they should aid
the litigation and advocacy work being carried out by CSJ.
External Paralegals
They are paralegals associated with different outfits (institutions? organizations?) but
work on the access to justice framework, i.e., use law to further their work. The capacitybuilding initiatives directed at them respond to the demand from the target group, or a
result of the environment mapping undertaken by the RaCB unit. The specific objective of
this program is determined using processes mentioned above.
Internal Lawyers
They are lawyers who work with the organization on interventions. CSJ assesses theirneeds and then designs the capacity-building activities for them.

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This is either the outcome of specific demands of target groups or identified by
mapping the environment. They serve to add to the pool of social justice lawyers that CSJ
is continually building.
Organizations
This includes organizations doing similar work, or those that need assistance inunderstanding laws to further their work.
Public Representatives
Since the organization has worked with legal systems to further access to justice,there are representatives at every level that constitute an important element whenbuilding capacity.
Annex B. Architecture of CSJ
RaCB Unit
It is the responsibility of CSJ’s research and capacity-building unit to periodicallyassess internal training needs and mapping the environment to identify external capacity
building requirements. The unit is also responsible for creating materials in addition toscheduling and organizing training events.
RehbarRehbar, meaning “guide,” is a virtual group to help implement the vision, strategicorientation and values of the organization. Rehbar is a group of individuals who havebeen trained by the organization and display an interest in continuing their association.
Its members include:• The young professionals for legal empowerment;• The anchors from respective units who act as liaisons between the RaCB andfield units;• Consistent members assigned to each unit for regular hand-holding;• Subject experts invited for specific inputs.
Each unit has been provided a dedicated person to hand-hold them through theirjourney. This reflects a flexible support model where trainers are expected to oversee theoutput of the operational unit in terms of the quality of legal aid and litigation undertaken,
identify gaps, and offer support in terms of experience, practicality and innovation in
strategies.

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Local Systems
In order to contextualize capacity-building, operational units are expected to conductperiodic reflection meetings. These reflection meetings encourage analysis of issues andlaws where they originate. These meetings involve peer-learning practices and inputs
from persons who are well versed with local laws.