This article was published more than 3 years ago.
Around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the practice of law.
With courts closed, hearings canceled or moved online, and huge backlogs of cases piling up, the judicial system has nearly come to a standstill. Lawyers, unable to take on new clients or process current cases, are struggling financially.
In Bihar—one of the poorest states in India—the Izad Foundation, along with the Eva Foundation, is supporting members of its lawyer network with emergency COVID-19 supply kits.
Most of these lawyers are from Dalit communities—one of India’s most marginalized and oppressed groups under the country’s caste system. These lawyers mostly work in lower courts, where physical hearings have been suspended.
The Izad Foundation has stepped in to offer much-needed relief. With the Fund’s support, they’ve been able to supply medical aid kits that include basic equipment like thermometers, oximeters, masks and sanitizers. The Izad Foundation has also been offering online counselling support to the legal community and survivors of violence.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, grassroots activists in India have come to the rescue of the country’s most vulnerable communities. Now, as a deadly second wave ravages health care and other support systems, activists on the front lines need our support more than ever. Help save lives today.
