NLU Delhi Secures ₹4.74 Crore to lead India's First Law-School-Led Victim Advocacy Project

This is significant funding for India's first such law school-led initiative. The VAP was conceptualized to reinforce representation, support, and the overall role of victims vis-à-vis the adverse criminal justice system through academic rigor combined with field engagement at the grassroots level and litigation support. It's an action project aimed at mitigating the crime-related difficulties at the grassroots level through expert legal intervention, counseling, and sustained community mobilization.

Why the Victim Advocacy Project Matters

It is very challenging for victims of crimes to get through different hurdles in court procedures and most often do not get the necessary legal aid and assistance. It is due to this that VAP tries to fill such gaps at every level of the legal procedure through systematic, professional, and sustained support in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Key Goals and Impact - Next Three Years

• Victim Support: Represent and support over 450 victims of crime at every stage, from the FIR stage, investigation to trial, appeal, and rehabilitation.
• Capacity Building: Develop a cadre of specialized litigation fellows and paralegals who will receive focused training in victim rights, court procedures, and trauma-informed engagement.
• Professional Mentorship: Ensures quality representation in a manner sensitive to ethical concerns through professional mentorship by leading senior advocates.
• Systemic Reform: Providing timely, evidence-based information to inform and support efforts for legal reform, policy enhancement, and increased institutional accountability. Scalable Model: Based on research and field practice, it will deliver a replicable and scalable model for victim advocacy-one which will then be leveraged across the country. 

A Transformative Vision for Law and Society While highlighting the importance of the said project, Prof. (Dr.) G.S. Bajpai, Vice-Chancellor, NLU Delhi, said, "This project represents a sea change in impactful ways that law universities can engage with society. With the Victim Advocacy Project, we are advancing not just research and training, but also justice, dignity, and empowerment on behalf of those who need it most." This, in effect, underlines the commitment of NLU Delhi to bridge gaps between legal scholarship and social impact as it furthers its reputation as a national leader in the domain of criminology, victimology, and justice reforms. 

Support in this regard from the Azim Premji Foundation underlines the timely requirement of well-resourced, victim-centric interventions. Thus, the grant will facilitate a multi-tiered program involving: Legal representation Counselling and psychosocial support Community engagement Training and capacity building Research and documentation This strong partnership reflects a shared vision in furthering equity, justice, and responsiveness of institutions in India. About CCV, NLU Delhi The Centre for Criminology and Victimology is India's premier institution dedicated to research, policy engagement, and training in criminology, victimology, and criminal justice reform. Through extensive national and international collaborations, CCV continues to contribute to pressing debates on policing, penal reform, victim rights, and restorative justice.