Centre For Social Justice, Ahmedabad (India)

Centre for Social Justice(CSJ) is first of its kind organizations that uses the judicial system to fight for the rights of marginalized. CSJ is an initiative of the Institute for Development Education and Learning (IDEAL), a socio-legal non-governmental organization (NGO) registered under the aegis of the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950 in Gujarat, India. It is one of the first organizations of its kind in India with the aim to pursue justice and uphold and promote human rights. The CSJ began operating through a network of law centres among vulnerable sections of society across Gujarat. Today, it has expanded operations to several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka J&K. These centres consist of a team of lawyers, paralegals and researchers who take a holistic approach to human rights by providing litigative support as well as outreach to villages through law clinics. The main focus of these legal centres has been to defend the rights of women, Dalits, tribals, minorities and other socially vulnerable groups. Today, CSJ responds to almost 3,000 cases annually through these law centres.