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Bombay Bar Association recently organised a function to felicitate Justice Sujata Manohar who was awarded one of the highest honour in the legal field the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Medal of Honor on July 5, 2021. 

The Ruth Bader Ginsburg Medal of Honor is a new international recognition, established by the World Jurist Association and presented for the first time in 2021 to recognise the inspiring woman jurists who fight to defend the rule of law and consolidate their fight for gender advancement in the society.

Justice Sujata Vasant Manohar was born on 28th August 1934. Her father Late Mr KT Desai was the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court. She was enrolled Advocate on 14th February, 1958 at Bombay. 

She was the first lady to be elevated as a Judge on the bench of Bombay High Court in 1978 and was first woman Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court who took oath to Office of Chief Justice on 15th January 1994. On April 21, 1994 she took oath as the first woman Chief Justice of Kerala High Court and on November 8, 1994 she was elevated as second woman judge of the Supreme Court of India. 

Justice Sujata Manohar’s career as a Supreme Court judge came to an end on August 28, 1999. She was one of the two High Court Judges from India selected to participate in the course on Patent Trial held at Beijing under WIPO and U.N. auspices in December, 1986. 

The event was attended by President and Vice President of Bombay Bar Association, Justice Sujata Manohar and other Senior Advocates.

President, Bombay Bar Association Mr Nitin Thakker started the event by giving the welcome address by putting forth the ideals laid down by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made and should not be that women should be an exception,” and said that Justice Sujata Manohar has lived up to these ideals.

“Justice Sujata Manohar has given us much more than what she has taken. She is an exceptional lady who has been a beacon of human rights in India. She is a source of inspiration, an ideal and role model for our entire legal fraternity. We are fortunate to have such a great personality amongst us today,” said President, Bombay Bar Association while welcoming Justice Manohar.

“Theoretically woman have been assigned high positions in society but the actual situation has far been removed from these theoretical beliefs. The discrimination faced by working women is immense. Women in India have been affected due to economic conditions, working conditions. History of the legal profession in other countries shows that women have gone through a phase of struggle. Not that it has ended there. But in the midst of such, our women who have been fighting against all odds have broken the glass ceiling and have inspired other women to achieve the befitting place in the society,” said Dr Birendra Saraf, Vice President, Bombay Bar Association.

Justice Sujata Manohar started her address on Gender Equality Beyond Reality by saying, “As lawyers we are justified in putting our faith as guarantor of law. Gender equality is an aspect of Rule of Law because Rule of Law is rule of just law. Laws that do not discriminate on grounds of race, religion, gender, caste or any other irrelevant ground. Rule of law entails enforcement of human rights for all human beings so that all can live a life with dignity.”

In her address, Justice Manohar while citing various instances wherein women face discrimination and instances wherein women are considered at par with their male counterparts said that our country has although risen to celebrate the positives but at the same time India still has a long march ahead.

“Unfortunate factors that women are still not paid equal wages as those with their male counterparts, women are not present in equal numbers in business or politics and globally the situation of women in health is worse as that of men.  Great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers. School girls are welcomed into university. Women can work and have a family and women have choices. We have risen to celebrate the positives but at the same time behind us we still have a long march ahead. Women now demand structural transformation making it possible for women to participate and contribute by fulfilling their responsibilities towards women, children and families. Women have also voiced their concern over lack of effective protection of domestic violence, ” Justice Sujata Manohar added. 

She further laid down three important aspects: just and fair laws; independent judiciary for their protection and social change which are imperative for protection of women and said that, “Law is an important game changer & it must be effectively used and this effective use depends as much on effective judiciary and on social will to change. Over the years we’ve tried to make the laws, especially personal laws just and fair so that women rights prevail in perception and to provide protection to women against violence. This is where the crucial role of judiciary comes into play because the rights enforced by law have to come into place by effective judiciary. Fortunately we have a basic constitutional mandate to bring equality and justice.”

Justice Sujata Manohar in her address also cited various constitutional provisions related to gender equality as well as famous national and international cases pertaining to equality of women.

It is pertinent to mention that Justice Sujata Manohar was also invited as one of the five women judges from all over the world to constitute a tribunal for recording evidence and giving findings at the World Women's Congress for a Healthy Planet held at Miami, U.S.A. in November 1991, held for formulating Women's Action Agenda 21 and was also a signatory to Declaration of Miami. She was also one of the three delegates selected by the Government of India to participate in the International Conference of Law, Social Development and Social Welfare held at West Berlin in 1988 under auspices of the International Council of Social Work.