Pursuing Justice and Restoring Dignity for the Poor of Bihar

My name is Rebecca Dattilo and I am a 1L student serving as a student staff member for the Center for Global Justice. I am originally from Colorado Springs, CO., and came to Regent University because of the incredible endeavors of the Center and their focus on the protection of Human Rights. Over the last 3 months, I have been working on a research project for Justice Ventures International (JVI)-India.

JVI works to secure justice for the poor and the oppressed of India and conducts advocacy work for victims of human trafficking and the urban poor, so as to bring awareness of their basic rights. Specifically, the Organization has created Advocacy Manuals for several cities in India that outline government assistance entitlements available to these marginalized communities. The Manuals are tailored to the specific cities, as they outline government entitlements available on a national and state level and additionally, are written in both English and the local language of the community.

The project that the Global Center staff was assigned to furthers JVI’s efforts by working on the State of Bihar’s Lawyer’s Manual, a supplement to the Advocacy Manual. The Lawyer’s Manual will be an essential tool for legal professionals as it will help to resolve any legal issues the poor may face while trying to access the government assistance entitlements. Bihar’s Lawyer’s Manual consists of the legal framework surrounding 43 entitlements, ranging from Educational protections, to Healthcare assistance, and Food and Water Rights.

I have greatly enjoyed learning about India’s legal system and their government agencies. Working on this particular project has inspired me to pursue an internship in India this summer with an Organization working towards protecting the rights of marginalized communities. I am thankful to the Center for fostering my passions for India and the work of Human Rights NGOs there!