From courtrooms to community centres, a female lawyer is engrossed in pursuit of justice
Team Clarion
HYDERABAD – Afsar Jahan’s name is synonymous with justice and empowerment. As a human rights lawyer and women’s rights activist, she balances intense courtroom battles with compassionate work at Mohalla Family Counseling Centres, providing free legal aid and support to the needy in Hyderabad.
“I consider myself an optimist and a problem-solver,” says Afsar Jahan, crediting her extraordinary mother, aunts, and father for instilling these qualities in her.
Her journey began in 1996 as a political science student at St Pious Hyderabad. Inspired by her father, a respected arbitrator, and her mother, a dedicated teacher, she developed a passion for justice. Despite the challenges of studying law while starting a family, her mother’s unwavering support helped her a great deal.
Today, Afsar Jahan is a prominent legal figure and social activist. As the legal head of the All India Milli Council (Telangana Chapter), she has fought landmark cases, including Uzma Afreen vs Parveen Begum, and continues to provide free legal aid at Mohalla Family Counseling Centres.
“Women struggling with business setbacks, messy divorces, or job losses come to Afsar Jahan and her network for help,” says a colleague. Despite facing resistance and threats from misogynistic board members at the Telangana Marriage Counselling Centre for Minorities, she established her own counselling centre, providing support for family discord issues.
Afsar Jahan also uses Zakat (charitable donations) to pay fines and bail for marginalised prisoners, whom she describes as first-time or petty offenders who committed crimes out of desperation. “The law isn’t the deterrent; it’s our society and institutional structures that bear down on women,” she says.
She emphasises the importance of legal knowledge for women, particularly the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. “Every woman should know this law as it protects against all forms of violence and abuse. Under this law, women can seek an injunction against violence and have the right to reside in their matrimonial or shared household.”
Afsar Jahan’s work extends to prison reforms, focusing on decongesting jails by securing the release of marginalised prisoners and supporting the rights of those who have died in custody. Previously, she served as Assistant Government Pleader for Industries and Mines and the Department of Energy at the High Court for Telangana for six years.
“Many women are clueless about their rights in property, bank accounts, and family assets controlled by their fathers or husbands. It’s crucial to know one’s property rights and the laws affecting them,” she says, providing counsel to women in distress.
Afsar Jahan’s story is a testament to the impact one individual can have on society. “We need laws which establish equality and justice and recognise diverse forms of relationships,” she says.
Afsar Jahan exemplifies resilience and dedication, inspiring others to stand up for their rights and strive for a just society.
