Indian Woman to head NY Bar’s International Human Rights Committee!

RamyaJ._1 H x

Ramya Jawahar Kudekallu, who is a 32-year-old advocate hailing from Bengaluru, has been appointed as Chairperson of New York City Bar’s International Human Rights Committee. She is now all set to take up big challenges in terms of addressing the community hardships and getting “impact” in the system to ensure changes.

Kudekallu said, “I was nominated for the Committee after the background checks and I am extremely happy for being confirmed with an esteemed honorary title. The Committee did not have a woman of colour as the Chairperson all these days. They have also picked a non-white young woman. I am ready to take risks involved with this responsibility. Fighting for human rights is always challenging, whether it is in India or anywhere. New York is comparatively safer.”

Kudekallu’s role is leading the committee’s work, and continuing the ongoing work; seeing how it can intervene with issues of the oppressed. It is also to identify how to spotlight legal analysis.

She did her schooling in Ooty and Dubai. She studied law at Bishop Cotton Women’s Christian Law College, Bengaluru. She did her masters in International Law and Human Rights at Fordham University, New York. As of now, she is teaching at Cardozo Law School, New York.

She interned at World YWCA at Geneva. Then she also worked at UN where she worked on women and children’s issues with a special focus on violence against women. She also worked with Alternative Law Forum / ALF for rights of civic workers, street vendors, members of LGBTQ community, sex workers, women and children.

She adds, “Presently refugees are landing in the US from Afghanistan. We need to account for their situation and contextualise their difficulties. There is resettling process and funding process are involved.” She also notes that the “situation of the common man in India and the US is similar as far as inequality is concerned, though context may appear to be different.”

“The US may be a developed country and India may be on route to towards development disparity, but inequality is the same. The plight of have-not’s are also similar. In India, predominantly caste and class-based inequalities are found. Oppressed classes and tribals are fighting in India. Whereas in the US, it is African Americans, Native Americans and others who are fighting for their rights.”

When asked about the movement by farmers back in India, she said that India has signed international treaties as far as human rights are concerned, and needs to adhere to them. If there are individuals and organisations fighting for human rights, raising concerns over the issue, it is the duty of the government to address the issue, she stressed.

Kudekallu said that her mind is still in India, even when she is in the states right now. She highlights that forgoing power and class privilege is the need of the hour.

This was about Ramya Jawahar Kudekallu, and how incredibly proud she has made her nation by achieving this amazing feat. If you know you of any more such Indians making us proud from across the seas, tell us in the comments below. If you enjoyed this story, do visit the space for more!