Tranform 2018 – Trans Rights and the Law: conference in Bangalore

On 14th and 15th April 2018, the Bangalore-based Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) is organizing the 2nd International Conference on Transgender Rights and the Law.

14th April 2018 marks the 4-year anniversary of the decision of the Indian Supreme Court in National Legal Services Authority vs. Union of India which recognized for the first time the right to self-identify one’s gender as an integral part of the right to life under the constitution.
The theme of the conference this year is trans-formation of the law, which we have already begun to witness in India.  The recent right to privacy decision of the Supreme Court in 2017 reaffirmed that gender identity is part of the right to privacy and autonomy.  These victories sit side by side with ongoing challenges the trans community faces, as it has begun to use the law for empowerment and in the process trans-forming it. 2017 witnessed active voices raised against the Transgender Rights Bill for having failed to articulate the rights and concerns of transgender and intersex persons. The trans community in India and the world over has been accessing the courts for recognition of their legal identity, rights to marriage and family and challenging criminalization. Transgender rights have also been gaining recognition globally, with more jurisdictions passing gender identity recognition legislations and recognizing rights of the trans community. This conference seeks to learn lessons from such legal trans-formations for a better understanding of transgender equality in India.

There is no registration fees and attendees can register at the venue before the start of the conference.

Agenda and List of Speakers
Day – 1
9.30 am: Registration

10.00 am: Introduction and Welcome:Jayna Kothari,Executive Director, Centre for Law and Policy Research
Akkai Padmashali, Swatantra and Ondede

Panel 1: 10.30 am to 12:30 pm
Constitutional Trans*Formation

“The Right to Privacy judgement and its impact on Transgender Rights”: Anand Grover, Senior Advocate Supreme Court of India & Director, Lawyers Collective
“The Section 377 Challenge and the future” : Arvind Narrain, Arc International
“NALSA and after”: Akkai Padmashali, Swatantra and Ondede Trust

12:30 – 1:30 Lunch
Panel 2: 1:30 to 3.30 pm

Transforming the Courts

Trans*legalities: A Case Study of Court Records on the recognition of Trans* identities in Peru (2003-2016) : Prof. Carlos J. Zelada, Chair of the Law Department of the Universidad del Pacífico (Peru).
“Survey of Trans* Rights Case Law in India” : Jayna Kothari, Advocate, Karnataka High Court and Supreme Court of India, Executive Director, CLPR

“The Telangana Eunuchs Act Challenge: Experience as a Petitioner”: Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli
Tea: 3:30 – 3:45 PM

Panel 3:45 to 5:30 pm

Trans* Families

Intimate Relations, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: Survey Evidence : Prof. Siddharth Swaminathan , Azim Premji University
Family Law and Transgender Persons: Transforming Family, Malavika Rakjotia, Advocate, Supreme Court of India
Trans experiences of Family. Uma, Jeeva

Day 2

Panel 4: 10.00 am to 12.00 Noon
Current Debates on Transgender Equality

The Future of Transgender Equality : Prof. Stephen Whittle, Professor of Equalities Law in the School of Law at Manchester Metropolitan University
Affirmative Action and Transgender Rights: The Experience with Caste: Prof. Sudhir Krishnaswamy, Azim Premji University

Lunch 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Panel 5: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Right to Legal identity

Removal of Gender Markers: The Experience in Kenya: Audrey Mbugua, Transgender Education and Advocacy, Kenya
Legal Identity and Gender, Vikramaditya Sahai
Moderator: Anindya Hajra

3:00pm – 3:15pm Tea

Panel 6: 3:15 to 5.30 pm

Trans Lawfare: Global trends in Translaw movements
Third Gender or no Gender: Busiswe Deyi, South Africa
Trans Bill – Is this the Future? Or do we need a different Legislation: Aparna Banerjee, Amitie Trust
Gender Identity / Gender Expression – expansion of framework  YP plus 10 – Utopian framework for trans equality ?: Siddharth Narrain, Ambedkar University
Moderator: Jayna Kothari