Issue 1: Vol II January-March, 2018

Find more about us at:

Website:

PAGE 2

Conferences organized by SAARCLAW

PAGE 3

World Happiness Report, 2018

Corruption Perception Index, 2017

PAGE 4 Link to Important News

New Chief Justices in South Asia

Pakistan Hindu Marriage Act, 2017

IN THIS ISSUE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON

“HUMAN TRAFFICKING: LEGAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL

PERSPECTIVES FOR SOLUTIONS WITHIN SOUTH ASIA”

Sinha, Director, Indian Law Institute. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dipak Misra in an inaugural speech of the conference said that in today’s world human trafficking is one of the major crimes and the fastest growing criminal enterprises. He added, “The menace isn’t confined to the domestic sphere but has become a cross border phenomenon”. The people involved in it considered human beings as commodity and the commoditization of human beings has become an industry in itself. He added that the younger generation has to be the torchbearers against human trafficking as it is a great menace to the present and the future generation. He said slavery was the human trafficking of the past and it exists even today in a different manner. Hon’ble Justice Ms. Sapana Pradhan Malla said,

"Technology has become a strong tool in the hands of perpetrators, has created the market for human trafficking and made the victim more vulnerable”. She underlined that the cyber space is not the exclusive domain of the perpetrators but rather a powerful tool in the hands of authorities.

Hon’ble Justice Gita Mittal spoke about the need to disrupt the demand and supply chains of trafficking and get to the root of the black money that funds it. She further added that the law needs to be in place to penalize customers and curb the menace. Mr. K. K. Venugopal, Attorney General of India & Patron, SAARCLAW on his special address mentioned various statutes in the Indian legal system to curb human trafficking. The conference was attended by the various SAARC country judges to discuss on the need for solutions to the technological challenges faced by the law enforcement agencies on human trafficking.

SAARCLAW India Chapter, Indian Law Institute and Justice and Care jointly organized an International Conference on ““Human Trafficking Legal and Technological Perspectives for Solutions within South Asia” on March 24, 2018 at India International Centre, New Delhi. The Chief Guest of the program was Hon'ble Mr. Justice Dipak Misra, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India. The Conference commenced with the Welcome Address by Prof. (Dr.) Manoj K.

ROUNDTABLE STAKEHOLDER MEETING ON COUNTER TRAFFICKING AND LABOUR MIGRATION LAWS, POLICIES AND MECHANISMS IN BANGLADESH

SAARCLAW and Solidarity Centre Bangladesh jointly organised a Roundtable Stakeholder Meeting at Hotel Lake Castle in Dhaka on Saturday. The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, High Court Division of the Supreme Court, Bangladesh was the Chief Guest and the Roundtable was presided over and moderated by Mr. Muhammad Mohsen Rashid, Secretary General, SAARCLAW. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed said that Bangladesh government would have to be ‘more Labour friendly’ to execute relevant laws and to protect rights of the migrant workers. Barrister Ms. Lutfun Kadir said, “3500 cases were filed across the country since formulation of the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act in 2012 and not a single case has been disposed of” based on a research paper . She added that court proceedings are lengthy and there is no separate

tribunal for quick disposal of cases. Mr. M. K. Rahman, Vice President, SAARCLAW in his closing remarks, said that there were weaknesses in the migration law in 2013 which needed to be

THIRD PROF. N. R. MADHAVA MENON SAARCLAW MOOTING COMPETITION AND LAW STUDENTS’ CONFERENCE, 2017-18

It was organized by Lloyd Law College with technical support from Menon Institute of Legal Advocacy Training under the patronage of SAARCLAW at Lloyd Law College, Greater Noida. The competition aimed enhancing legal advocacy skills and improving legal and academic ties among law students of SAARC Nations. The Conference was attended by Hon’ble Ms. Justice Naima Haider, Judge, Supreme Court of Bangladesh & Executive Council Member, SAARCLAW, Hon’ble Justice Anil Kumar Sinha, Judge Supreme Court of Nepal & E xecu ti ve Cou nci l Member, SAARCLAW Nepal, Mr. K. K. Venugopal, Attorney General, India and Patron, SAARCLAW and Mr. Muhammad Mohsen Rashid, Secretary General, SAARCLAW.

emended. Including senior lawyers, migrants’ rights campaigners, trade union leaders and returnee workers almost 54 participants actively took part in the discussion.

2

WORLD HAPPINESS REPORT, 2018

The World Happiness Report is a

landmark survey of the state of

global happiness. The World

Happiness Report 2018, ranks 156

countries by their happiness levels,

and 117 countries by the happiness

of their immigrants. The main focus

of this year’s report, in addition to

its usual ranking of the levels and

changes in happiness around the

world, is on migration within and

between countries.

The overall rankings of country

happiness are based on the pooled

results from Gallup World Poll

surveys from 2015-2017, and show

both change and stability. All the top

countries tend to have high values

for all six of the key variables that

have been found to support well-

being: income, healthy l ife

expectancy, social support, freedom,

trust and generosity. Among the top

countries, differences are small

enough that that year-to-year

changes in the rankings are to be

expected.

The report studies rural-urban Among the Sou th Asian countries, Pakistan is ranked on the top position with 75th position in the overall ranking,

Country Name Overall Score Overall

Ranking

South Asia

Ranking

Afghanistan 3.632 145 7

Bangladesh 4.500 115 4

Bhutan 5.082 97 2

India 4.190 133 6

Nepal 4.880 101 3

Pakistan (Happiest Country) 5.472 75 1

Sri Lanka 4.471 116 5

CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX, 2017

RANK COUNTRY SCORE SOUTH ASIA

RANKING

177 Afghanistan 15 1

143 Bangladesh 28 2

26 Bhutan (least corrupted) 67 8

81 India 40 7

112 Maldives 33 5

122 Nepal 31 3

117 Pakistan 32 4

91 Sri Lanka 38 6

Based on expert opinion from around the

world, the Corruption Perceptions Index

(CPI) measures the perceived levels of

public sector corruption worldwide. The

CPI uses a scale of zero (highly corrupt)

to 100 (very clean). Of the 180 countries

assessed in the 2017 index, more than 2/3

score below 50. This means over 6 billion

people live in countries that are corrupt.

No country scores perfectly, however.

Many less corrupt countries still suffer

from opaque decision-making or have

weak law enforcement. Governments

around the world must do more to serve

their citizens, engage civil society,

support free press, protect activists and

journalists and ensure transparency and

accountability in public and private

sectors. These are vital steps in the global

fight against corruption. Source: https://www.transparency.org/news/featurecorruption_perceptions_index_2017

RANKING IN SOUTH ASIA

RANKING IN SOUTH ASIA

while Nepal was ranked at 101st. Bhutan has been placed at 97th rank and Sri Lanka at 116th position. Bangladesh is ranked at 115th in the happiness index.

Source: http://worldhappiness.report/

ed/2018/

3

LINK TO IMPORTANT NEWS

BANGLADESH

1. Tenure of reserved seats for women in parliament increased by

25 years

http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/politics/2018/01/29/tenure-

reserved-seats-women-parliament-increased-25-years/

INDIA

1. In a first, collegium selects woman advocate for SC judge

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/in-a-first-collegium-selects-woman-

advocate-for-sc-judge/articleshow/62465248.cms

2. Arbitration law set to be changed again, in line with global

best practices

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/arbitration-law-set-to-be-changed-

again-in-line-with-global-best-practices/story-fl9raBkyva5582obIF3DYL.html

NEPAL

1. Provision to be made to register cases online

https://kathmandutribune.com/provision-made-register-cases-online/

PAKISTAN

1. Age of Child To Be Inserted in Constitution to Align With

International Standards

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/age-of-child-to-be-inserted-in-constitution

-o-252105.html

SRI LANKA

1. No taxes imposed on migrant workers in 2018 budget,

Foreign Employment Minister assures

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_17B/Dec12_1513050868CH.php

PAKISTAN

HINDU MARRIAGE ACT,

2017

The Hindu marriage act, 2017

provides the mechanism for

registration of Hindu marriages

including conditions for contracting

the marriage, procedure for

dissolution of the marriage and the

grounds on the basis of which such

marriage can be dissolved.

It also provides the concept of

judicial separation where marriage

remains intact, but parties are no

longer under obligation to cohabit

with each other. Likely, Hindu

marriages has also protected the

legitimacy of children born out of

void and voidable.

Read full act on:

h t t p : / / w w w .n a .go v . p k / up l o a d s /

documents/1491458181_468.pdf

Disclaimer:

Views/data expressed in the newsletter/articles were prepared based on the

secondary data/information available online and are not conclusive. The

opinions, if any expressed do not reflect the views of the organization. The

newsletter is for generating and sharing information at one platform. Please

check the relevant Act/statue/links/report for further and updated information.

The organization will not be responsible for submission or omission of

information, in whatsoever manner.

Compiled by SAARCLAW Regional Secretariat

Find more about us at:

Website

Picture Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/

frontpage/syed-mahmud-hossain-takes-oath-cj-

1529488

Hon’ble President of Bangladesh Mr.

Abdul Hamid administers the oath to

newly appointed Chief Justice,

Supreme Court of Bangladesh,

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Syed Mahmud

Hossain at Bangabhaban.

4

NEW CHIEF JUSTICE IN

BANGLADESH