A two-day training workshop for part-time legal volunteers was inaugurated at the District Court here on Monday. The programme was jointly organised by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority, District Legal Services Authority (Kodagu-Madikeri), Outlawed India Foundation and the Advocates’ Association.
Maruti S. Bagade, Principal District and Sessions Judge and Chairman of the District Legal Services Authority, inaugurated the programme by watering a sapling.
Speaking on the occasion, Bagade said that women today are becoming increasingly self-reliant and empowered by making use of educational opportunities, legal provisions and government welfare schemes. He said this growing awareness was contributing to positive social change.
“When a woman receives education, the entire family becomes educated,” he observed, adding that women were increasingly gaining awareness of laws and government schemes and sharing this knowledge with their families.
He noted that women were making their mark across various fields and advancing on the path of development. Against this backdrop, he urged the part-time legal volunteers to undertake their responsibilities as a form of selfless social service and serve as a bridge between the Legal Services Authority and the public.
Shubha, Senior Civil Judge and Member Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, delivered the introductory address. She said part-time legal volunteers assist the Authority by creating legal awareness, particularly in rural and urban areas, and by informing people about social issues and available legal assistance.
She urged the volunteers to extend assistance to people in distress and said identity cards would be issued to the selected volunteers. She advised them to make effective use of the identity cards while carrying out legal awareness activities.
She said Kodagu district has 67 part-time legal volunteers and that a two-day refresher training programme had been organised for them.
Presiding over the programme, Advocate K.M. Meenakumari urged the volunteers to work closely with the Legal Services Authority to bring instances of injustice to its notice. She said they should approach the Authority whenever further legal assistance was required so that support from panel advocates could be arranged.
Shama D. and Niharika, trainers from Outlawed India, Bengaluru, provided training and detailed information to the volunteers who had attended the programme from different parts of the district.
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