In celebration of the International Women’s Day on 8 March 2021, the CCLS India Chapter had the pleasure of organising a Webinar with Sr. Adv. Pinky Anand, Former Additional Solicitor General of India who spoke about “Being a Woman in the Legal Profession”. Mr Ajit Mishra, the Chapter Lead was the moderator for the event. Ms Anand gave insights into her journey as a lawyer and the difficulties she faced when she started out as a lawyer in a time when women were uncommon in the legal world.
Ms Anand addressed the issue of the gender gap in the legal profession, while acknowledging the fact that it is getting smaller with changing times. She stated that the key thing in legal profession and any other profession for that matter is “choice”. Women should be given the opportunities to reach the glass ceiling and break them. She also shed some light on the two other factors that sometimes hold women back: society and women’s own perception of themselves. She acknowledged also that law is a competitive field but that women are changing things by hard work and perseverance.
Ms Anand also spoke about prominent female lawyers in India during the pre-independence era such as Ms Sudhanshubala Hazra, Ms Regina Guha and Ms Cornelia Sorabji, who fought during the times when women were in purdah. She also mentioned the role of the legislature and the judiciary which have tried to bring about changes in law, helping women fight for their rights. Ms Anand also said that India is now moving from fundamental rights to a higher nature of rights, which are being acknowledged with precedents like privacy judgement and the decriminalisation of homosexuality and adultery.
On a parting note, Ms Anand encouraged the young female lawyers with the words “Believe in yourself. You will make it because you have to make it”.
The session was attended by young lawyers, both men and women and there was also a Q&A round at the end, which gave attendees the opportunity to put forth their doubts and concerns.
“Thank you for such incredible insights, ma’am. You are indeed an inspiration. I do not hesitate to say that I am truly awe-inspired. I am going to be leaving this session with multiple takeaways, not only for my career in Law but also in Life! Thanks!" - Dhwani Mainkar (Commercial and Corporate Law LLM, 2019).