Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, in collaboration with Saraswati Institute of Law, Palwal, Haryana, is organising a One-Day Multidisciplinary National Seminar on “Motherhood and Child Well-Being of Imprisoned Women: Legal and Socio-Economic Perspectives” on September 9, 2026. The seminar is sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and will be conducted in hybrid mode. The extended deadline for abstract submission is September 1, 2026.
About the Seminar
The One-Day Multidisciplinary National Seminar is being organised as part of an ongoing ICSSR-sponsored research project titled “A Study of Motherhood and Child Well-being of Imprisoned Women in Delhi Jails.”
The research project seeks to examine the lived realities of incarcerated women and the conditions affecting their children within the prison system of Delhi. The incarceration of women presents complex socio-legal challenges, particularly in relation to their role as primary caregivers. The imprisonment of mothers affects not only their personal liberty but also caregiving structures, emotional bonds, and the overall development of their children.
Children of incarcerated mothers, whether residing within prisons or living outside, constitute a vulnerable and often invisible population. Despite being non-offenders, they face consequences connected with incarceration, including challenges relating to health, emotional security, identity, dignity, and social development. The seminar seeks to critically engage with the intersection of motherhood, incarceration, and child well-being through a socio-legal lens. It aims to provide a platform for academic discussion, field-based insights, and policy dialogue while examining the adequacy of existing laws, prison policies, and welfare mechanisms.
Through interdisciplinary engagement among academicians, legal practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, the seminar seeks to contribute towards evidence-based and duty-oriented reforms and generate diverse perspectives, empirical inputs, and scholarly contributions for the ongoing research project.
About the Organisers
Faculty of Law, University of Delhi
The Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, was founded in 1924 and is one of the oldest law faculties in India. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes in law and is known for its culture of moot court advocacy, legal aid clinics, and policy-oriented research.
The Faculty actively collaborates with national and international institutions, NGOs, and government bodies to address socio-legal challenges through evidence-based and rights and duties-oriented scholarship.
Saraswati Institute of Law, Palwal, Haryana
Saraswati Law College, Palwal, is affiliated with Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), Rohtak. The institution offers five-year integrated B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) and B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), three-year LL.B. (Hons.), and LL.M. programmes.
The institution regularly organises legal literacy camps, moot court competitions, and awareness programmes on subjects including women’s rights, consumer protection, and access to justice.
Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)
The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) is the apex body of the Government of India for research in the social and human sciences. Established in 1969, it operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
ICSSR supports social science and humanities research through research projects, fellowships, internships, capacity-building programmes, publication grants, seminars, conferences, workshops, collaborations, and recognised research institutions and regional centres.
Theme
Justice Behind Bars in Indian Prison System: Protecting Women Preserving Childhood
Sub-Themes
- Reproductive Rights and Constitutional Protection
- Fertility Rights of Women Prisoners
- Jail Reforms and Gender Justice
- Medical Negligence and Prison Healthcare
- Human Rights of Prisoners under Indian and International Law
- Conjugal Rights and duty of prisoner women
- Mental Health, Motherhood and Incarceration
- Comparative Study of Prison Laws
- Role of Judiciary in Protecting Prisoners Rights
- Incarcerated Mothers and Child Welfare
- Undertrials and Vulnerable Women
- Transgender and Non-Binary Prisoners
- Violence and Exploitation within Prisons
- Reintegration and Post-Release Rights
- Digital Rights and Privacy
- Policy Gaps and Reform Measures
Objectives of the Seminar
- To analyse the multifaceted impact of incarceration on motherhood, caregiving, and family structures.
- To examine the conditions, rights, and developmental challenges faced by children of imprisoned women.
- To critically evaluate existing legal and policy frameworks governing women prisoners and their children in India.
- To identify gaps, inconsistencies, and failures in the implementation of prison laws and schemes.
- To generate interdisciplinary dialogue between law, social science, public health, and policy domains.
- To suggest evidence-based, duties-oriented, and constitutionally grounded reforms for a more humane and equitable prison system.
Call for Papers
The ICSSR-sponsored National Seminar invites research papers, articles, and case studies from academicians, researchers, policymakers, industry professionals, and students.
Submission Guidelines
- Abstract: 300–500 words.
- The abstract must include objectives, methodology, data sources, and keywords.
- Submissions must be original and unpublished.
- Formatting: The abstract should be typed in MS Word using Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1.5-line spacing.
- Abstracts are to be submitted along with the registration form.
- Each paper should contain a cover page mentioning the title of the paper, name of the author, institution name, email ID, and phone number.
- The full paper has to be submitted through the Google Form.
- Full papers must be between 5,000 and 8,000 words, excluding footnotes.
- Footnotes must follow APA 7th Edition citation style.
- Papers with plagiarism exceeding 9% will be rejected.
- The use of AI-assisted content must comply with academic integrity standards. Any violation may lead to disqualification.
Important Dates
- Extended Abstract Submission Deadline: September 1, 2026
- Abstract Acceptance Date: September 3, 2026
- Full Paper Submission with Plagiarism Report: September 5, 2026
- Date of Seminar: September 9, 2026
Registration Fee
There is no registration fee for participants as the National Seminar is sponsored by ICSSR.
Mode of Participation
- Participants from the NCR must attend in offline mode compulsorily.
- Non-NCR participants may opt for hybrid mode.
How to Register?
Interested participants can register through the Google Form given below. Participants may also join the WhatsApp group for further communication.
Registration Form: Click here to register
Publication Opportunity
Participants presenting full papers will have an opportunity to publish their research in reputed national/international journals as per their respective policies and standards.
The publication opportunity is subject to the requisite permission of ICSSR. Only registered and presented papers will be considered for publication, and the final decision regarding publication will rest with the editorial board and publishing partner.
Certificate and Presentation Policy
- A Certificate of Presentation will be issued only after successful presentation of the paper in the assigned technical session.
- In case of co-authorship, at least one author must register and present the paper at the seminar.
- The presenter must be physically present during the session.
- Failure to present the paper will result in no certificate being issued.
- A Best Presenter Award will be conferred for an outstanding presentation at the seminar.
Accommodation and Travel
No TA/DA will be provided to participants. Participants are advised to make their own arrangements for travel and accommodation.
However, upon prior request, a limited number of accommodations may be facilitated for outstation participants. The expenses for such accommodation will have to be borne by the concerned participant. The required details should be provided in the registration form.
Date, Mode and Venue
- Date: September 9, 2026
- Mode: Hybrid Mode
- Venue: Umang Bhawan (New Building, Faculty of Law), Chhatra Marg, University of Delhi, New Delhi – 110007
Downloads
Brochure: [Click here to view]
Contact
Email: [email protected]
- Ashwani Bedwal: +91 99997 32462
- Dr. Rahul, Research Associate: 9711755393