LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT REPORT
Name of Department: Legal Aid Projects
Name of National Head: Adv. Swati Saxena
Name of National Co-Head: A. Ashritha
Date of Report: 04.07.2025
Submitted to: Adv. Vaishnavi Parate
Activities stated in the Plan of Action and their Status
1. Volunteer Engagement & Onboarding
LAGAAV – Love Beyond Labels
We are extending support to Shanti Sahyog NGO in their flagship initiative,
LAGAAV – Love Beyond Labels — a voluntary legal aid and outreach program
with a special focus on marginalised communities, including the LGBTQ+
community.
Conceived as part of International Pride Month, the initiative aims to support
inclusive access to justice through structured legal awareness and support
activities.
Though still in its initial phase, the initiative has already begun functioning
meaningfully.
As part of this effort, the Legal Aid Department opened applications for
volunteers. Out of the four applications received, one volunteer successfully
completed her assigned task and is now being welcomed as the first active
volunteer in the program.
Volunteer onboarding is ongoing, with selections made based on availability,
time commitment, and consistency. Given the voluntary nature of the program,
the process remains adaptive and non-target-based, acknowledging natural
variation in commitment and participation.
2. Cyber Rape Awareness Session
● Speaker: Adv. Lalit Jangra (Delhi High Court) — onboarded as a
volunteer expert
● Date: August 2025 (to be confirmed based on his availability)
● Pre-event Survey:
To be conducted by CC volunteers
○ Will gather insights on digital abuse, consent, and cybercrime
awareness
● Collaboration:
○ Session will be held in collaboration with Shanti Sahyog NGO
○ Venue, community outreach, and logistical resources will be
provided by the NGO
● Role of Legal Aid Projects: Support with coordination, survey planning,
volunteer management, and documentation
3. One-on-One Volunteer Interaction
● Date Scheduled: 8 July 2025
● Volunteers Shortlisted: 16 (from 19 applicants)
● Purpose: Clarify roles, expectations, availability, and assign event
responsibilities
4. Legal Awareness & Counselling Camps
These sessions will be held at Shanti Sahyog NGO, South Delhi, as part of our
community legal education and support initiative.
Session Format
● 30 mins – Thematic Legal Awareness Talk
● 1 hour – Interaction, queries, and informal counselling
● 30 mins – Networking and community engagement
Scheduled Dates & Topics to be Covered
● 12 July (Friday)
● 26 July (Saturday)
Legal Topics (common to both sessions):
● Domestic Violence (Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act)
● Dowry-Related Offences
● Relevant provisions under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)
These sessions aim to raise awareness about legal rights and remedies, promote
open dialogue, and offer early-stage legal support to community beneficiaries.
Volunteers Assigned: 2 per session (based on availability)
5. Webinar on Hiroshima-Nagasaki Day
● Date: 2 August 2025
● Theme: Non-violent Defence & Peaceful Conflict Resolution
● Speaker: Dr. Suman Khanna Agarwal
● Mode: Online
● Organising Body: CC
● Collaboration: In partnership with Shanti Sahyog NGO
● Support: Event & Outreach Department to assist with planning,
communication, and coordination
Meetings Held in the Department This Week
● Number of Meetings: Approx. 7
● Format: Digital (30 mins to 1 hour daily)
● Purpose:
○ Align on task execution and volunteer roles
○ Plan upcoming awareness events
○ Coordinate with external collaborators
○ Begin process mapping and workflow automation
Note: Given the foundational nature of this phase, both heads have been
meeting frequently to stabilise departmental functions and communication
systems.
Targets Achieved
● Functional support initiated for LAGAAV – Love Beyond Labels (Pride
Month initiative)
● 2 volunteer onboarded
● Workshop completed: Settlement Agreements in Mediation: Practical
Techniques (2 July)
● 16 volunteers shortlisted from 19 applications
● Legal awareness camps scheduled and finalised for July
● Expert speakers confirmed: Adv. Lalit Jangra and Dr. Suman Khanna
Agarwal
● Collaboration with Shanti Sahyog NGO confirmed for both July and
August events
Targets Not Achieved (and Reasons)
● Final Volunteer Confirmation:
Due to the voluntary and flexible nature of engagement, some applicants
have withdrawn or are irregular.
Onboarding remains ongoing and based on consistency, interest, and
time availability.
We are deliberately not treating volunteer recruitment as a fixed-
target process.
Additional Note to Collective Counsel (CC)
As mentioned in the last meeting, Yashvardhan noted that CC should act as
the organising body. However, several operational questions still remain open,
including:
● Fundraising responsibilities
● Sustainability of collaborations and volunteer models
● Structural roles and accountability in partnerships
In the absence of updated instructions, we are proceeding under the assumption
that Legal Aid Projects will act as a supporting department for the month of
July — especially in collaborations involving on-ground implementation by
NGOs such as Shanti Sahyog.
We respectfully request CC to share any structural updates, if applicable.
Submitted by:
Adv. Swati Saxena & A. Ashritha
Legal Aid Projects Team
