Migration And Asylum Project's Nyaay Sabha: Paralegals And Lawyers As Catalysts For Strengthening Access To Justice

About Nyaay Sabha

2025 marks the 30th anniversary since the enforcement of the Legal Services Authorities Act. Nyaay Sabha provided a platform to reflect on the evolution of India's legal aid institutions, with a special focus on the perspectives of women duty-bearers, from across Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The event also sought to engage experienced practitioner voices from across India to contribute to a meaningful examination of the legal aid framework. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, who has a long-standing and deep commitment towards legal aid initiatives, delivered the keynote address.

Report Launch

The event marked the launch of Justice Within Reach: Paralegal Volunteers in India, presented by Justice A.J. Bhambhani. The report, which is a compilation of two surveys of nearly 1,000 paralegal volunteers across 7 states, underscores the indispensable role of PLVs in ensuring access to justice for marginalized communities and provides recommendations for optimizing their impact, including an international comparative analysis of PLV roles. Among the main findings of the report included:

• 4 out of every 5 PLVs interviewed stated that their motivation to become a PLV stems from a strong desire to serve their communities.
• Over 93% of PLVs suggested the need for incorporating practical training to better prepare them for fieldwork, with an equivalent share suggesting the need for non-legal skills such as leadership, conflict resolution and communication.
• Nearly 1 in every 4 PLVs reported attending refresher trainings every 6 months, showcasing district-level inconsistencies.
• 41% of PLVs cited physical safety as a significant concerns, while 3 out of every 5 PLVs specified the need for safe and affordable transportation to support their work.
• 9 out of 10 PLVs felt that the compensation received was inadequate and largely consumed by travel expenses.

The report also made long-term, medium-term and immediate recommendations to address systemic challenges and build a more efficient and equitable justice system for all.

A copy of the report may be accessed here.

Keynote Address by Justice A.J. Bhambhani

Ms Roshni Shanker (Executive Director, MAP) asserted that “legal aid providers serve as essential bridges between marginalized communities and justice systems, transforming abstract legal rights into meaningful access to justice. Through their dedicated service, they not only provide legal assistance but also empower communities to understand and claim their rights, ensuring that justice is not a privilege of the few but a reality for all”.

Founded in 2013 by former UN lawyers, MAP is dedicated to reshaping India's approach to migration and displacement. MAP empowers its target communities–internal and forcibly displaced migrants–through legal awareness, providing legal aid, advocacy, research, and technological interventions. It simultaneously works towards strengthening the legal and protection response systems by building capacities of service providers, and sustained engagement with policy-makers and other stakeholders. The organisation is women-led, with over 80% of its beneficiaries being women and girls.