8 DECEMBER2023INFOCUSINFOCUSChief Justice of India DY Chandrachud highlighted remuneration disparities among Indian women, particularly those from marginalized communities, during the inaugural Justice ES Venkataramaiah Centennial Memorial Lecture that was held by the National Law School of India University.He referred to the gender pay gap as "a persistent challenge" that society faces and explained that it is the result of a complex interaction between several factors, such as systemic unconscious biases, cultural expectations, and societal norms. According to the CJI, "the pay gap widens as it intersects with other forms of discrimination, amplifying challenges for women who navigate both gender and racial biases," and policies to close the gender pay gap are needed.The CJI expressed concern over disability becoming a barrier to public opportunities, praising Karnataka's judiciary as the largest employer of people with disabilities. The Supreme Court upheld the rights of people with disabilities, highlighting the significance of equality and dignity as well as the state's duty to uphold these rights.According to the CJI, the Supreme Court's audit report on its accessibility for the disabled provides information about both functional and physical accessibility issues, such as the absence of interpreters or wheelchair-friendly amenities. He stated, "We are currently on the path to adopting the suggestions given by the report." Justice BV Nagarathna, a Supreme Court judge and the daughter of Justice Venkataramiah, who is expected to become the nation's first female chief justice, supervised the event. India's former chief justice was Justice Venkataramaiah.NLSIU vice-chancellor Sudhir Krishnaswamy and registrar NS Nigam also attended the event featuring law school students and judicial fraternity members to explore financial landscapes. CJI HIGHLIGHTS REMUNERATION DISPARITIES AMONG INDIAN WOMENSHREYA GHODAWAT TO LEAD GENDER-INCLUSIVE CLIMATE ACTION AT COP28Shreya Ghodawat, a prominent sustainability advocate and SHE Changes Climate India Ambassador, represented India at COP28 during a High-Level Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on 'Balance for the Earth Building Trust and Collaboration for People & the Planet.' The discussion, which centered on resolving the interconnected challenges of climate and environment, emphasized innovative ideas and collaborative techniques, pushing for radical collaboration and structural transformation.Shreya, as India's SHE Changes Climate Ambassa-dor, played a vital role, particularly in talks aimed at breaking down barriers to systemic reform. She empha-sized the need of ensuring that the energy transforma-tion is not only socially equitable, but also gender-inclu-sive, highlighting India's power and energy industries' negative impact on women. Shreya emphasized the im-portance of a fair transition from fossil fuels to a steady supply of renewable energy, as well as participation in legislation, leadership decisions, and better job inclu-siveness.The SHE Changes Climate team actively supported increased female participation in climate negotiations and leadership roles, advocating for a 50:50 gender bal-ance, inclusivity, and diversity vision. The Unite For Climate Solutions Summit, which was co-hosted by SHE Changes Climate and Project Dandelion, conclud-ed with a conversation between Mary Robinson and COP28 President H.E. Sultan Al Jaber, who underlined the need of tackling the fossil fuel issue in accordance with climate science.Recognizing the importance of the situation, the UN-FCCC prioritized fossil fuels for the first time in 28 years. Shreya and the other panelists urged governments to expedite the Paris Agreement's implementation, em-phasizing the necessity of open multi-stakeholder talks for genuine social reform. Notably, the Netherlands, Uganda, and Norway have joined the COP's coalition of gender champions, reaffirming the ideas of inclusion and diversity. SHE Changes Climate plans to increase its presence in key countries, with a focus on hastening the energy transition with women at the forefront.
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