Various issues concerning practicing women advocates including, prevention of sexual assault, will be deliberated at the national conference of women lawyers to be held here from December 13.
The 5th All India Federation of Women Lawyers (AIFWL) is being hosted by the Maharashtra Federation of Women Lawyers (MFWL) and its theme is "Right to life with dignity: Equal protection, equal opportunity".
The three-day conference will be inaugurated by the Chief Justice of India P Sathashivam in the presence of Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai, Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Mohit Shah and Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
"The conference will include seminars on various topics, including reservation for women in Legislatures and statutory bodies, sexual assault on women- prevention and control, role of women lawyers in changing system and new challenges available for women lawyers and sensitisation of law enforcement machinery," said Indrayani Patani, president of the AIFWL and Jayshree Akolkar, president, MFWL, at a joint press conference here today.
"Mock court session on right to adopt and capacity to adopt will be held. Topics like matrimonial rights of Indians under domestic and international law, conflict of Laws, rights of children, international scenario etc. Will come up for discussion," they said.
More than two thousand practicing women lawyers are likely to attend the programme.
The Supreme Court had in July this year approved a sexual harassment committee to redress the grievances of women advocates.
Recently, a law intern had accused a Supreme Court judge, who retired recently, of sexually harassing her.
A "stree vakil" award will also be given at the conference and women lawyers who have been practicing for 40 years and more will be felicitated.
Among prominent dignitaries to attend the convention are Nirmala Sawant Prabhavalkar, member of National Commission for Women, NCP MP Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe, retired IPS officer Sridevi Goel, noted actress and Film Society chairperson Nandita Das.
The AIFWL was established in 2007 with an object of development of women lawyers and protection of rights of women and children through legislative reforms, legal aid and legal literacy programme.
