Vrinda Grover
Vrinda Grover is a lawyer, researcher, human rights and women’s rights activist based in New Delhi, India. As a lawyer she has appeared in landmark human rights cases and represented women and child survivors of domestic and sexual violence, victims and survivors of communal massacre, extrajudicial killings and custodial torture, sexual minorities, trade unions and political activists.[1] Focused on the impunity of the state in relation to human rights violations, her research and writing inquires into the role of law in the subordination of women; the failure of the criminal justice system during communal and targeted violence; the effect of ‘security’ laws on human rights; rights of undocumented workers; challenges confronting internally displaced persons; and examines impunity for enforced disappearances and torture in conflict situations.[1] TIME magazine identified her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.[2]
Education
Vrinda graduated from St. Stephen's College, New Delhi where she was a student in History. She obtained her degree in law from Delhi University and Masters in Law from New York University.[3]
Career
Law
Vrinda has appeared for the victims in landmark cases such as Soni Sori rape-torture case, 1984 anti-Sikh riots, 1987 Hashimpura police killings, 2004 Ishrat Jehan encounter case[4] and the 2008 anti-Christian riots in Kandhamal.[5] She has contributed to the drafting of the 2013 Criminal Law Amendment to the law against sexual assault; The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and the Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010, a law for protection from Communal and Targeted Violence.[6]
Organisations
She is presently a Research Fellow at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Delhi. She serves as the trustee at the Centre for Social Justice and Board member for Green Peace.[7] She has actively engaged with UN human rights mechanisms including the Universal Periodic Review and UN Special Rapporteurs, UN Women India Civil Society Advisory Group; is a bureau member of South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR); a founder member of the Working Group on Human Rights in India and the UN (WGHR)[6].
Activism
Early Activism
In the 1980s, when Grover was a student at St Stephen’s College, a ‘tradition’ existed back then, of rating the female student population according to their physical attributes; the final calibration was summed up into a top 10 ‘chick chart’ and pinned on the official noticeboard. A group of students, including her, decided to protest this deeply misogynist ritual. They were told they were breaking ‘family tradition’ and even threatened with expulsion. But they refused to back down. Ultimately, the institution banned the offensive practice.[8]
Awareness Speaker
She speaks critically of the AFSPA [9][10], the two finger test [11][12] and other issues, at various events and on news channels to create awareness.
References
- ^ a b "Vrinda Grover: "Law, the State and Human Rights in India" |". chrgj.org. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
- ^ "Vrinda Grover, Lawyer, 49". TIME. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ^ "Profile of Vrinda Grover". Trust Women.
- ^ "Letter from Vrinda Grover, Advocate" (PDF). Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ^ Quraishi, Humra. "India: A critique to communal violence bill". Communalism watch.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
:02was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Menon, Meena (15 January 2015). "Priya Pillai addresses British MPs through Skype". The Hindu. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ^ "Every Indian woman needs to know about these basic rights". VOGUE India. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
- ^ "Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act". Wikipedia. 4 December 2016.
- ^ Samim Asgor Ali (2 October 2016), Vrinda Grover speaks at a Public Meeting at Shipra Hostel JNU on 02 October, 2016, retrieved 10 December 2016
- ^ "Virginity test". Wikipedia. 4 December 2016.
- ^ "Vrinda Grover talks about Two-finger Test (TFT)". YouTube. Retrieved 10 December 2016.