Ajita Banerjie

Education

• M.A. Human Rights Law, SOAS, University of London (2021) – Chevening Scholar
• M.A. Social Work, TISS Mumbai (2015)
• B.A. (Hons.) English, University of Delhi (2013)

Profile

Ajita is a gender and sexuality rights researcher who joined NLSIU as Visiting Faculty in 2024. Prior to this, she worked with several international human rights organizations, including ILGA Asia and International Commission of Jurists, focussing on LGBTIQ rights and access to justice. She has also served as a consultant for Asian Development Bank, Human Dignity Trust and the Astrea Lesbian Foundation for Justice.

Research Interests

Ajita’s research focuses on locating autonomy, dignity and selfhood within the law, especially in the context of policing and regulation of queer identities in India.

Publications

Reports 

• ‘Handbook on ‘Right to Cohabitation for Queer Persons in India’ – Joint publication by Centre for Justice, Law and Society, ILGA Asia and Transmen Collective.
• ‘Living With Dignity: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Based Human Rights Violations in Work, Housing and Public Spaces’ – International Commission of Jurists
• ‘Unnatural Offences : Obstacles to Justice in India Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity’ – International Commission of Jurists

Journals 

• ‘Queer Love and Litigation in India’ Jindal Global Law Review Volume 13, 2022
• ‘Beyond Decriminalization: Understanding Queer Citizenship Through Access to Public Spaces in India’ NUJS Law Review Volume 12, 2019

Legal Blogs/Editorials

• ‘Mapping the Global Crackdown on LGBTIQ Rights’ – Oxford Human Rights Hub
• ‘The Death Penalty and its Arbitrary Use to Punish LGBTIQ Persons’ – Oxford Human Rights Hub
• ‘Discipline and Punish: How Anti-Beggary Laws in India are used to Criminalize Transgender Persons’ – Oxford Human Rights Hub
• ‘Against The Mandate for Inclusion: Transgender Persons Bill’ – The Hindu
• ‘Discard Regressive Laws that Legitimize Violence Against Transgender People’- The Wire

Conferences 

• Panelist at the ‘Digital Targeting of LGBTIQ persons in Asia’ panel at the Human Rights Conference hosted by Sydney World Pride, 2023
• Moderator for the ‘Navigating Cybersecurity Risks : Challenges faced by Sex Workers’ panel at RightsCon, 2023
• Led a workshop on ‘Sexual Minorities, Gender Discrimination and the Death Penalty’ at the 8th World Congress Against the Death Penalty organized by ECPM, 2022