Bhubaneswar: National Law University Odisha (NLUO) successfully hosted a two-day national consultation of stakeholders on ‘Enhancing Access to Justice for Women Victims of Domestic Violence by Rethinking Institutional Structures’ at a City hotel.
The consultation brought together academicians, members of the judiciary, police officials, representatives from government departments, international organisations, civil society groups and legal practitioners from across the country with an aim to contribute to the development of a comprehensive protocol to enhance access to justice for women victims of domestic violence.
The programme was organised as part of ‘Addressing Domestic Violence in Odisha through Institutionalised DV Response Protocols,’ supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The event was held under the leadership of NLUO registrar Rangin Pallav Tripathy and associate professor, COE Suman Dash Bhattamishra, who are leading the project on domestic violence.
The consultation featured deliberations on various aspects of access to justice for victims of domestic violence through sessions focusing on empirical research, police response to victims, obstacles in collection and appreciation of evidence, review of institutional structures and community engagement, and legal aid and dispute resolution.
The event was graced by Additional Police DG (Crime Against Women and Children) Shyni S, and witnessed participation of distinguished scholars and experts.
Representatives of UNDP, UNICEF, National Human Rights Commission, State Women’s Commission, Odisha Human Rights Commission, Law department, Biju Patnaik State Police Academy, Odisha Legal Services Authority, leading universities and civil society organisations also participated and contributed insights toward developing the protocol.
