About the theme
A robust and responsive justice delivery system is an imperative for a country’s development. When justice is delayed or not served, victims are left with little hope that things will change. Changes within the justice system are complicated, systemic and interlinked and require critical attention and interventions. To ensure a sustained impact in this sector, long-term, committed interventions are necessary.
The Tata Trusts have been spearheading social change in the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems in India by focusing on addressing the needs of the most marginalised sections of society. These interventions have been implemented across 10 states, either directly or in partnership with state governments. The Trusts have also provided grants to civil society organisations to promote research and advocate policy changes.
Areas of operation
Delhi, Bangalore, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
Partner organisations: Common Cause, Daksh, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Centre for Child and Law, Prayas, VARHAD, Resource Cell for Juvenile Justice, Child in Need Institute, Jan Sahas Social Development Society, DISHA, Towards Advocacy and Networking and Development Action, Wings2Fly Foundation
Social Justice and Inclusion
Access to justice
About the theme
A robust and responsive justice delivery system is an imperative for a country’s development. When justice is delayed or not served, victims are left with little hope that things will change. Changes within the justice system are complicated, systemic and interlinked and require critical attention and interventions. To ensure a sustained impact in this sector, long-term, committed interventions are necessary.
The Tata Trusts have been spearheading social change in the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems in India by focusing on addressing the needs of the most marginalised sections of society. These interventions have been implemented across 10 states, either directly or in partnership with state governments. The Trusts have also provided grants to civil society organisations to promote research and advocate policy changes.
Areas of operation
Delhi, Bangalore, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
Partner organisations: Common Cause, Daksh, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Centre for Child and Law, Prayas, VARHAD, Resource Cell for Juvenile Justice, Child in Need Institute, Jan Sahas Social Development Society, DISHA, Towards Advocacy and Networking and Development Action, Wings2Fly Foundation
Latest
Karnataka ranked 6th in India’s first ever ranking on Justice delivery
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Reducing violence towards women and children
Leveraging the support of partners to combat violence against women and children.
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Building leadership and strengthening voices of the excluded communities
Supporting fellowships for building leadership in marginalised communities, while also promoting inclusion.
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Policy, Advocacy and Research
Ensuring that the learnings from interventions influence policy so as to realise a sustainable and lasting development for the country.
View all initiatives under this theme
Prison Reform
Institutionalising a cadre of social workers into the prison system for the welfare of prisoners.
Victim Rights and Rehabilitation
Identifying the need for new livelihood options for victims, and providing them with legal aid and counselling services.
Project on Judicial Pendency
Creating a body of evidence-based research to help identify issues clogging the case pipeline and recommending feasible solutions.
Welfare of de-notified tribes
Helping de-notified tribes who are victimised due to their poverty, lack of social support, and absence of citizenship entitlements.
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Prison Reform
Institutionalising a cadre of social workers into the prison system for the welfare of prisoners.
...Continued
Victim Rights and Rehabilitation
Identifying the need for new livelihood options for victims, and providing them with legal aid and counselling services.
...Continued
Project on Judicial Pendency
India’s justice system is plagued with delays, as overwhelmed courts struggle to keep up with the load. In 2017, Dasra, a strategic philanthropic organisation, reported that there were more than 25 million pending cases that were held up in judicial gridlock. In January 2019, the National Judicial Data Grid reported that 29.1 million (2.91 crore) cases were pending with district and subordinate courts.
Pending cases do not only affect the victims of crime. They also affect undertrials who are remanded to custody until their case is heard. About 28 per cent of accused will have spent more time in jail than their prescribed punishment. Nearly 34 per cent of those accused of bailable offences continue to be in jail due to their inability to pay bail.
Judicial pendency also takes a heavy financial toll on both litigants and the accused. According to the Dasra report, litigants spend approximately Rs300 billion annually just to attend courts. The loss to the national exchequer through loss of productivity due to loss of work time, wages and business losses is equally shocking – Rs503.87 billion.
The issue of judicial delay is therefore a very critical one. As part of their Access to Justice thematic intervention, the Tata Trusts aim to map and present solutions to the spectrum of issues that hinder universal access to justice in India, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalised communities.
The Trusts have supported a first-of-its-kind engagement with the Delhi High Court and DAKSH to identify the issues that lead to the clogging of the case pipeline and to recommend feasible solutions to reduce case pendency and enable a more efficient case flow management.
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Welfare of de-notified tribes
Aims to help communities of de-notified tribes who are victimised by state and society due to their poverty, lack of social support, absence of citizenship entitlements and systemic bias.
This Welfare of De-Notified Tribes initiative by Tata Trusts initiative aims to help members of the de-notified tribes who are victimised by state and society due to their poverty, lack of social support, absence of citizenship entitlements and systemic bias.