Devangana Kalita
Devangana Kalita is a student and women human rights defender in India. She is one of the founding members of the Pinjra Tod, a collective of women students and university alumni from across Delhi, who seek to lessen restrictions, such as curfews, placed on female students. The collective challenges stereotypes on the need for women to be ‘protected’, and advocates against using concepts of safety and security to silence and suppress women’s rights to mobility and liberty.
Since the regressive CAA was passed in December 2019, she has played a critical role in peacefully protesting and mobilising against the Act, on the basis that it violates the fundamental principles and protections of the Constitution of India.
Human rights defenders in India face a diverse range of attacks and harassment from state and non-state actors alike, including killing, physical assault, arbitrary detention, threats and judicial harassment.
