India Today Conclave
India Today Conclave

Instagram lawyers to know and learn from

We spoke to five female lawyers who are utilising the power of social media to educate and inform their followers about the Indian law and legal rights, one post at a time.

28 February, 2023
Instagram lawyers to know and learn from

Rupali Sharma
@LawgicalConnect 

Rupali Sharma

“For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a lawyer, and I went through some terrifying experiences that pushed me in that direction...not just to safeguard my life, but to also help other women. I started receiving abusive messages online, and I was too terrified to lodge a complaint. This made me realise how difficult it is for women in India to even make themselves heard. To address the same, I launched my Instagram page to educate my followers about the Indian law and how it can help fight harassment, domestic violence, and issues related to cyber safety, among others. It’s sad that our society is still patriarchal to a large extent, and owing to that, women are discouraged from practicing the law. It comes from a common stereotype and misconception that law isn’t a female-friendly profession (and that it would make a woman too outspoken)! Luckily, social media is an effective way to reach people. And when paired with informed journalism, it plays a big role in spreading awareness about the rights of individuals as well as the laws governing the land. When my followers started sharing their stories—of how they got the courage to speak up against injustices through my content—I realised how awareness can lead to action. Indian laws are quite progressive, but correct implementation is what the system currently lacks, making even the most liberal laws ineffective. That’s why being an informed citizen helps create a responsible society.” 

Hiral Nagori
@Hiral_Nagori

Hiral Nagori

“Women hesitate to speak up because they are tied down by their family’s reputation and status. One of the major reasons behind launching my blog was that a lot of women around me were not aware about their rights and couldn’t enable themselves to punish the perpetrator. I want everyone to understand that it’s imperative to stand up for yourself. I do this by educating people about their rights by simplifying legal jargon. For example, most women are unaware about the legal action they can take against domestic abuse. Unfortunately, the Indian society has normalised domestic abuse to such an extent that they do not realise that it isn’t just physical, it can also be verbal and emotional—if a man is verbally violent and controlling, she can take a legal action. In order to create a safe space for all, we need to regularly host awareness drives and campaigns, especially for women. We must also educate children through expert-led sessions to ensure they are informed about their rights, because what we normalise today is what we will accept tomorrow.”


Mansi Chaudhari
@PinkLegal.In

Mansi


“Standing up for your rights is the biggest gift you can offer yourself. And many women dilly-dally with the decision of approaching the court because legal counsel is costly. However, many do not know that a woman is entitled to free legal aid irrespective of her income or financial status under Article 39A of the Constitution. Since the right to free legal aid comes under the purview of Article 21 and 39A, the court, too, cannot deny a woman of the same. India has some of the strongest laws for women with stringent punishments. Despite the same, law on paper does not trickle down effectively to the grassroot level. What we lack is timely execution of punishments against offenders. This needs to change so that women can receive justice through their legal rights. I started Pink Legal as an extension of my website in 2020. My intention was to make legal rights more accessible by breaking down women-related laws in a format that can be easily understood. We want to make law less intimidating, more friendly, and accessible. Being regularly informed about changes in the judicial system will help you inch closer towards gathering the courage to punish an offender and do right by yourself.”

Priya Tiwari
@AP.Laws

Priya

“I remember the time when someone reached out to me on Instagram to understand how to deal with their private photos being leaked. And that got me thinking about why so many people are struggling with similar issues on the Internet? Evidently, adequate action wasn’t taken against the culprits, and this led to the launch of my Instagram page: @AP.Laws. Today, I am glad to have an audience and clients, who have supported me throughout. But my journey hasn’t always been easy, as is the case with other women in this profession, and I have had people, especially male advocates, troll me for being ‘too young’ and ‘softspoken’. But in life and in law, it’s necessary for a woman to realise that her voice is equivalent to her male counterparts. Participation and discussions are the only way women will understand the law and their rights...and become empowered. In fact, our country has some of the strongest laws put in paper for women—for example, a woman can file an FIR in any police station of the country. Known as a zero FIR, this ruling was introduced to prevent offenders from getting away. This is why, we need to listen more to understand better. And, most of all, we need to speak up against injustice, no matter what.”

Tanya Appachu
@YourInstalawyer

Tanay Appachu


“Women need to be aware of their rights, and that can only happen if we question things around us. As a lawyer, I have met educated, independent women who are unaware of their basic rights and laws of the country. There is a dire need to bridge this gap and that’s why it’s important that law is accessible to everyone in a format that is easy to understand—which is what my Insta page is all about. It’s no secret that knowledge is power and being armed with information regarding our laws is crucial. That was the thought behind launching @YourInstaLawyer—where I break down the sections, clauses, and legal jargons in an easy format to help my female followers. Having said that, being a female lawyer is no cakewalk... The legal fraternity is definitely a boys’ club and women have to work twice as hard to break the glass ceiling. That’s the reason having an expertise in the legal space helps one stay ahead of the curve. I try to create content that is wellresearched and based on facts. I also ensure that my content is conversational and makes people ask questions. ”
 

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