Call for Papers: International Conference on “Equality, Dignity, and the Future of LGBTQ+ Rights in India: Global and Comparative Perspective” by School of Law, Bennett University [Hybrid | 7-8 April 2026]

The School of Law, Bennett University, through Satrang: A Centre for Queer Rights, is organising an International Conference on “Equality, Dignity, and the Future of LGBTQ+ Rights in India: Global and Comparative Perspective” on 7th-8th April 2026 in hybrid mode at Bennett University, Greater Noida.

The conference seeks to create an academic platform for critical engagement with evolving legal, social, and institutional questions surrounding LGBTQ+ rights in India. Scholars, practitioners, students, and policymakers are invited to contribute original research examining contemporary developments and emerging challenges in queer rights discourse.

About Bennett University

Bennett University, established by Bennett, Coleman and Co. Ltd. (The Times Group), is a multidisciplinary university committed to providing globally benchmarked education. With a strong emphasis on research, innovation, and industry collaboration, the university offers more than 30 academic programmes across six schools, including Engineering, Management, Media, Law, and Liberal Arts.

The university aims to provide students with international exposure through collaborations, distinguished faculty, and modern infrastructure while fostering an environment that integrates academic excellence with practical learning.

About the School of Law, Bennett University

Established in 2017, the School of Law at Bennett University aims to cultivate future legal professionals and thought leaders committed to justice, policy development, and legal reform. The school integrates innovative pedagogy with interdisciplinary learning and emphasises research, advocacy, and policy engagement.

With a curriculum designed to reflect both national and international best practices in legal education, the School of Law seeks to create a knowledge space that nurtures intellectual inquiry while shaping socially responsible legal professionals.

About Satrang: A Centre for Queer Rights

Satrang: A Centre for Queer Rights is an academic, research, and policy-oriented initiative of the School of Law, Bennett University dedicated to advancing the rights and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ persons. As anchored in the constitutional values of equality, dignity, and privacy, the Centre engages with legal, social, and institutional questions surrounding gender identity and sexual orientation. It seeks to bridge the gap between judicial recognition of queer rights and the lived realities of LGBTQ+ persons by promoting research, sensitisation, and inclusive institutional practices.

Through academic programmes, public dialogue, and collaborations with civil society and legal practitioners, Satrang aims to foster informed discourse and contribute meaningfully to contemporary debates on queer rights in India.

About the Conference

Over the past decade, Indian constitutional jurisprudence has significantly shaped the recognition of LGBTQ+ rights. Landmark decisions such as NALSA v. Union of India (2014), Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017), and Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018) have reaffirmed the constitutional values of dignity, autonomy, equality, and privacy.

Despite these developments, the absence of comprehensive legislative protections and the persistence of social and institutional barriers continue to hinder the realisation of LGBTQ+ rights in India.

In pursuance of its aims, Satrang is organising the International Conference on “Equality, Dignity, and the Future of LGBTQ+ Rights in India: Global and Comparative Perspective” with the University of Greenwich, London as the International Academic Partner. The conference aims to bring together academicians, legal practitioners, researchers, students, and policymakers to examine the evolving trajectory of queer rights in India and explore emerging challenges relating to family recognition, healthcare access, workplace inclusion, digital spaces, and criminal justice responses.

Themes

Submissions are invited on the following broad themes:

Theme I: Constitutionalism, Equality, and LGBTQ+ Jurisprudence

• Constitutional morality, dignity, autonomy, and substantive equality

• Evolution of LGBTQ+ rights jurisprudence in India

• Sexual orientation and gender identity under Articles 14, 15, 19, and 21

• Role of courts in advancing or limiting queer rights

• Comparative constitutional approaches to LGBTQ+ equality

• International human rights law, UN mechanisms, and treaty interpretation

Theme II: Family, Kinship, and Intimate Citizenship

• Marriage equality, civil unions, and alternative legal recognition

• State regulation of intimacy and private life

• Family, kinship, caregiving, and queer intimacies

• Adoption laws, foster care, and LGBTQ+ parenting

• Surrogacy, assisted reproductive technologies, and access to parenthood

• LGBTQ+ persons and personal laws: inheritance, succession, and guardianship

• Child rights, best interests, and queer families

Theme III: Gender Identity, Health, and Bodily Autonomy

• Legal recognition of gender identity and documentation

• Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act and allied policies

• Access to healthcare, mental health services, and insurance

• Medical ethics, consent, and gender-affirming care

• Sexual and reproductive health rights of LGBTQ+ persons

• Disability, queerness, and access to healthcare

• Bodily autonomy, self-determination, and state control

Theme IV: Violence, Criminal Justice, and Access to Justice

• LGBTQ+ persons and the criminal justice system

• Policing, profiling, and custodial experiences

• Sexual violence, consent standards, and queer survivors

• Hate crimes, bias-motivated violence, and legal responses

• Prison rights, detention, and carceral experiences

• Procedural barriers, evidentiary rules, and access to justice

• Victim protection, support mechanisms, and restorative approaches

Theme V: Institutions, Technology, and Lived Realities

• Workplace inclusion, discrimination, and labour rights

• Educational institutions, campus inclusion, and student rights

• Anti-discrimination law, affirmative action, and institutional duties

• Digital spaces: online harassment, cyber violence, and platform accountability

• Surveillance, data protection, and privacy

• Media representation, cultural narratives, and queer visibility

• Intersectionality: caste, class, disability, religion, region, and sexuality

• Law, policy, governance, and future directions for reform

Eligibility

The conference is open to:

• Students

• Research scholars

• Academicians

• Legal professionals

• Industry experts

• Social activists and policymakers from law and allied social science disciplines.

Note: For UG/PG/ Ph.D. students, there is no bar on the number of participants from the same College/University/Institution.

Submission Guidelines

Abstract Submission

• Abstracts should not exceed 800 words.

• The submission must include:

  • Title of the paper

  • Name(s) of author(s)

  • Sub-theme of the paper

  • Institutional affiliation

  • Email ID

  • Postal address and contact details

• Co-authorship of maximum two authors are permitted.

Abstracts must be submitted via email at: satrang@bennett.edu.in

Full Paper Guidelines

• Full paper must have a word count of approximately 5000-8000 words.

• Originality, coherence, thoroughness and contribution to discourse and knowledge will be taken into consideration for selecting papers.

• All papers will undergo rigorous “double blind review” process. The full paper must be submitted in MS Word (.doc or .docx) format only.

• The mode of submission of full paper shall be communicated via our official email with the participants whose abstracts shall be accepted.

• Full Paper must contain a cover page inclusive of the following details: –

  • Name(s) of the author(s),

  • Designation, – Institutional affiliation,

  • Email ID, – Contact number(s) of the author(s)

• Authors are requested to adhere strictly to the following abstract formatting guidelines:

  • Title: Font: Times New Roman | Size: 16 | Alignment: Center; Bold

  • Heading: Font: Times New Roman | Size: 14 | Alignment: Left; Bold

  • Sub- Heading: Font: Times New Roman | Size: 12 | Alignment: Left; Bold

  • Main Text: Font: Times New Roman | Size: 12 | Spacing: 1.5 | Alignment: Justified – Footnotes: Font: Times New Roman | Size: 10 | Spacing: 1.0

  • Referencing: Bluebook (21 Edition) style Citations.

  • Co-authorship is permitted (maximum of 2 authors).

  • Selected full papers will be published by reputed publishers with an ISBN.

  • Plagiarism in any form and use of AI is strictly prohibited and would render the submission disqualified. All references used must be duly cited and a similarity index of up to 10% is permissible.

Registration Fees

• Academicians (India):

  • Single Author – ₹1800

  • Co-author – ₹1500 per person

• International Academicians: USD 30

• Research Scholars / NGO Authors (India):

  • Single Author – ₹1000

  • Co-author – ₹800 per person

• International Scholars – USD 15

• Students (India):

  • Single Author – ₹600

  • Co-author – ₹500 per person

• International Students – USD 10

Important Dates

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 20 March 2026

• Notification of Acceptance: 23 March 2026

• Last Date of Registration: 23 March 2026

• Full Paper Submission Deadline: 27 March 2026

• Conference Dates: 7-8 April 2026

Awards and Certificates

• Best Paper Presenter Award in each theme

• Certificate of Presentation for all presenters

• Certificate of Participation for attendees

Selected papers will also be published in an ISBN-indexed edited book.

Venue

School of Law,

Bennett University,

Plot Nos 8-11, TechZone 2,

Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh- 20131

Contact Details

For any queries contact-

satrang@bennett.edu.in

+91 97379 57665