:: All India Federation of Women Lawyers (R)::

Advocate Ms.Sheela Anish, Founder President, AIFWL



A leading advocate practicing in the High Court of Karnataka and Supreme Court of India, Sheela Anish is the Founder President of AIFWL. It was her vision to bring women lawyers of the country together and form an organization which would play a vital role in society. With the objective of upholding and safeguarding the constitutional rights of the citizens of India, promoting rights and welfare of women and children, AIFWL was established by Sheela in 2007 in Bangalore. Her sincere efforts brought together women lawyers from different parts of India on a common platform from where they could get empowered themselves as well as play a very significant role in empowering women at large. Under her able guidance, AIFWL held seminars on the issues of “girl-child”, “Need to create awareness to protect girls and their rights” and “Night Shift Women Workers especially in Call Centres, Business Process Outsourcing and Information Technology Centres”. Soon after its establishment, AIFWL affiliated with FIDA. Sheela, along with a team of women lawyers had attended FIDA Conference at Milan where India made a mark and she was nominated to sit on the board of FIDA. She was elected as World President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers at the 34th Annual Conference held at Lagos, Nigeria, an honour that cam eto India after 47 years, emulating Violet Alva in 1964. FIDA has a consultative status with the United Nations Organization and it works world-wide for framing laws in the interest of women. As President of FIDA, she organized the 35th Triennial International Convention—2014 in Bangalore, India with the Theme—70 Years of Advocacy—Changing Lives, Changing Societies, Changing Status of Women. The Conference was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Justice H. L. Dattu, Hon’ble Chief Justice of India and was attended by numerous women lawyers from across the globe. With her continuous and constant support, guidance and vision the organization has a strong presence in almost 12 States of the country and numerous members, who are contributing in their own way to bring about change in society. Sheela herself firmly believes that the federation, a lawyers body engaged mainly in creating awareness about women’s rights, with its commitment to aid in framing better polices for women, will play a significant role in changing lives of women.