Taniya Laskar, a feminist lawyer from Barak Valley, Assam, was honoured with the Special Jury Award (Individual) at the 8th Martha Farrell Awards 2024 for her exceptional work in empowering marginalised women, transgender individuals, and girls. The award ceremony took place on September 29, at the UNESCO New Delhi Cluster Office.
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Out of 251 nominations from across 24 states and union territories, Taniya was one of four recipients and was recognised for her pro-bono legal services and her work on gender-based violence. Practising at the Court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Cachar, Silchar, she has made legal aid accessible to grassroots communities, empowering them to navigate the justice system. Her dedication has impacted six districts of Assam—Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, and Nagaon—where she has counselled over 1,000 survivors of violence and filed 40 domestic violence cases.
“I have lived in Assam all my life, including my journey to becoming a lawyer. This award inspires me to give back even more to society. I call upon young people to work for marginalised communities,” Taniya said, expressing her commitment to creating inclusive spaces for women and ensuring organisations have gender-inclusive policies and Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) in place.
The award also acknowledges Taniya’s role as co-founder of Sexuality and Gender Equality (SAGE), a queer rights organisation. Nirmal Kumar Das, former Vice Chairperson of the Barak Human Rights Protection Committee, praised Taniya’s tireless work, calling it crucial for the Barak region.
Taniya’s former law teacher, Rumi Dhar, expressed pride in her achievements, recalling her as a hardworking and dedicated student with strong opinions on social issues.
The Martha Farrell Foundation hailed Taniya's work, with Director Nandita Pradhan Bhatt noting, "This award is a recognition of the grassroots work being done for women’s empowerment and gender equality. We believe Taniya will continue to inspire many others."
The Martha Farrell Awards, instituted in memory of Martha Farrell, celebrate mid-career individuals and organisations making significant contributions to women’s empowerment and gender equality. The Special Jury Award comes with a prize of ₹1,00,000, acknowledging the powerful impact of finalists like Taniya on society.