Sóz Centre for Women’s Legal Assistance Launched at Bengaluru School
Bengaluru: The Sóz Centre for Legal Assistance to Women was inaugurated at Excellent English School in Bismillah Nagar, Bengaluru, marking the launch of a new initiative aimed at helping women deal with legal issues at home, at work, and in society.
The centre is an initiative of ReachLawyer Trust and functions under its Sóz programme. The programme focuses on spreading awareness about women’s legal rights and providing access to quality legal advice through a dedicated team of lawyers. ReachLawyer Trust also works to build professional skills among lawyers, especially those from marginalised and stigmatised communities.
The Sóz Centre at Excellent English School is the first of its kind under the programme. The school has extended full support to the initiative and has deputed staff to assist with its functioning. Women can approach or contact the centre on any day to seek legal clarifications and advice. The programme is especially designed for women who find it difficult to access legal support, understand their rights, or make informed choices while pursuing litigation.
The centre was inaugurated by B. T. Venkatesh, former State Public Prosecutor and founder of ReachLawyer. Addressing the gathering, Dr Benazeer Baig, founder of Excellent English School, spoke about the difficulties faced by women, particularly those from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. She said the Sóz Centre would offer legal advice on a pro bono basis and assist women in securing their rights before courts at a fractional cost.
In his address, B. T. Venkatesh spoke about the rights assured to women under various laws and the gap between legal protections and their actual use. He said that while laws are strong and provide effective safeguards, many women are unable to access them. Referring to the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, he urged women to be confident, resist abuse, and seek legal remedies.
Dr Benazeer Baig, founder and director of Raza Educational Society and Excellent English School, expressed concern over the growing challenges faced by women within families and communities. She said discrimination and abuse are often treated as everyday realities and stressed the need for more centres like Sóz. She also highlighted the school’s role in supporting and participating in the programme.
Dr Kalpana Purushottaman, a counsellor, academician, and child rights activist, spoke about the importance of women speaking up, seeking legal advice, and standing firm to protect their rights. She assured her active involvement along with support from her students for the Sóz Centre in collaboration with the school.
Advocate and activist Akhila Vidyasandra highlighted the challenges women face and underlined the need for women to assert their rights and seek legal protection.
A team of lawyers from ReachLawyer, including Aparna, Tuba Sanobar, Nitin Bubberjung, Ravi, Shankar, N. K. Vinoda, and Mubarak, along with counsellors from the Indian Institute of Psychological Research, took part in consultations and interacted with women seeking legal assistance.
The programme was well attended, with several women seeking guidance. The initiative also served as a platform for women to understand basic legal protections available to safeguard their rights.
Contact details:
Call or WhatsApp:
Nitin Bubberjung: 9036089137
Tuba Sanobar: 9689295684
Kufciya: 8884701964
Email: speak2soz@gmail.com
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Correspondents' dinner firing: World leaders say political violence has no place in democracy
Washington (PTI): World leaders expressed relief that US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania and other guests were unharmed after a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' dinner here on Saturday night and asserted that political violence has no place in a democracy.
Reacting to the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was relieved that President Trump, First Lady Melania and Vice President J D Vance were safe and unharmed after a security incident at the White House Correspondents' dinner in Washington.
Modi said violence has no place in democracy and must be unequivocally condemned.
"Relieved to learn that President Trump, the First Lady and Vice President are safe and unharmed following the recent security incident at a Washington DC hotel. I extend my best wishes for their continued safety and well-being. Violence has no place in a democracy and must be unequivocally condemned," Modi said in a post on X.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has had frequent run-ins with Trump, described the shooting incident at the Washington Hilton hotel as a “disturbing event”.
“I am relieved that the President, the First Lady, and all guests are safe following reports of gunfire at the White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington tonight. Political violence has no place in any democracy, and my thoughts are with all those who have been shaken by this disturbing event,” Carney said in a post on X.
President of the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae Myung asserted that political violence “can never be justified under any circumstances.”
“The Government of the Republic of Korea firmly opposes all forms of violence and extremism that erode the values of democracy and the rule of law,” he said in a social media post.
Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi said, “Violence must never be tolerated anywhere in the world”
“I am relieved to hear that President Trump is safe following the terrifying gunfire. Violence must never be tolerated anywhere in the world,” she posted on social media.
Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident “an attack on all the democracies.”
"This wasn't just an attack on Donald Trump. This was an attack on a candidate for the presidency of the United States. This was an attack on America. It was an attack on democracy, it was an attack on all the democracies,” he posted on social media.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said it was “good that President Trump and his wife are safe following the recent events”.
“We send them our respect. Violence must never be the way,” she said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was pleased to hear all attendees were safe. “We applaud the work of the Secret Service and law enforcement agencies for their swift action,” he said in a statement.
Delcy Rodriguez, the acting President of Venezuela following the capture of Nicolas Maduro by US forces, condemned the attack against Trump.
"We extend our best wishes to them and to all attendees of the Correspondent’s dinner. Violence is never an option for those who uphold the values of peace," she wrote on X.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also took to social media to condemn the incident, stating he was "deeply shocked" to hear the news.
"Relieved to know that President Trump, the First Lady, and other attendees are safe," Sharif said.
Trump has survived two assassination attempts over the past two years – first at a presidential election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, and later in Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, 2024.
