In conversation with Aditya Manubarwala and Shooha Tabil, South Asia’s emerging youth leaders from India and Bangladesh

Aditya and Shooha are spearheading the drafting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Convention on Human Rights. Apart from that, both are also actively lobbying towards the passage of paid menstrual benefit laws in SAARC countries.

Today, in conversation with the Kathmandu Tribune we ask them a wide array of questions pertaining to the issues that matter to them, their work and future plans.

KT – It is a matter of honor for us to have you spare some time. Kindly tell our readers something about yourself?

Aditya – Firstly, I sincerely thank Kathmandu Tribune for giving me the opportunity of being invited to your illustrious forum.

I am a final year student of law at Pravin Gandhi College of Law, University of Mumbai. I am a Trainee Solicitor attached to a law firm based in Mumbai. Previously, I have been an Attaché to the Office of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as well as a Trainee Law Clerk to Justice FM I Kalifulla of the Supreme Court of India. In August 2016, I represented India as a delegate at the Harvard Asia Conference, Hong Kong. Whilst there I was one of the 20 recipient’s of the Chinese General Chambers of Commerce Scholarship out of 400 applicants from 90 countries. I have contributed actively on the policy-making domain and hold the distinction of being one of the youngest Indian to depose before the Joint Committee of Parliament in Indian legislative History as well as the first student in 150 years to deliver a lecture in University of Mumbai while still being a law student.

I also regularly write columns political, legal and international issues in newspapers, blogs, and Universities across 6 countries- USA, United Kingdom, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. I have 12 published research papers to my credit.  

Shooha – Thank you KT for inviting us.

I am a final year engineering student at Bangladesh and South Asia fellow at Climate Tracker. In March 2016, I was appointed as a Climate Leader of ‘The Climate Reality Project’ founded by the former USA Vice President Mr. Al Gore. I attended the ‘Climate Reality Leadership Training Corps 2016’ in Manila, Philippines. Consequently, in September 2016, I represented Bangladesh at ‘World Youth Summit’ in New Delhi, India as a climate advocate.

I am also a Climate Youth Fellow at International Centre for Climate Change & Development (ICCCAD) which is one of the leading research and capacity building organizations working on climate change and development in Bangladesh. Currently, I am working as Global School Ambassador of Global School Program of UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Youth (SDSN Youth) which is an initiative led by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Youth Initiative (SDSN Youth) in support of UNESCO’s Global Action Program on Education for Sustainable Development (GAP-ESD

I have also been working as a promoter of ‘Sustainable Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM)’, an initiative of Plan International Bangladesh in collaboration with UNICEF.

Aditya while receiving the Chinese General Chambers of Commerce Scholarship in Hong Kong

KT – What is your opinion about SAARC as an organization has it served its utility?

Aditya – In my opinion, despite sharing a common social, cultural and religious heritage; South Asia as a whole is one of the least integrated regions in the world. The SAARC has been a relatively inactive regional body on account of multiple factors, the most prominent being the hostility between India and Pakistan.

Shooha – To add further, SAARC is particularly close to the heart of us Bangladeshis, for it owes its existence to the persistent efforts made by former president of Bangladesh, Husain Muhammad Ershad.

Aditya – I believe that despite differences between countries in SAARC there still exists a lot of common ground for countries to break bread together. A sector relating to human development, protection, and gender-based rights — where there remains significant scope for co-operation.

KT – Kindly tell our readers about the convention you both are spearheading?

Shooha – We advocate the passing of a SAARC Human Rights Convention in regards to achieving certain universal humanitarian objectives. This convention can be on the lines of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Aditya – The proposed convention wouldn’t be obligatory to follow but states ought to consider it an attempt to achieve the principles espoused in it.

Shooha with Oren Lyons, Director Climate Reality Project

KT –  What prompted you to start this exercise?

Shooha – In a conversation with Aditya during one of my official visit to India last December, I remember him lamenting about major regional groupings like European Union, African Union and Organization of American States having human rights conventions but SAARC not having any similar convention.

Aditya – Somewhere this conversation remained firmly ensconced in our minds and more importantly, hearts. A few months late I asked Shooha if she would be interested in collaborating and she readily agreed. I’m grateful to Shooha for collaborating with me on this despite her busy schedule.

Aditya with Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Tawakkol Karman

KT – What efforts have you taken towards achieving your objectives?

Aditya – We have partnered and collaborated with like-minded individuals across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Srilanka, and Afghanistan. We are also in talks with organizations in Bhutan and Maldives for jointly ushering this convention with their respective Governments.

Shooha – We have already commenced a public information campaign in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. We are in the process of building a wider coalition of support which we can harness to target governments in our countries. I will be visiting India later this month and Aditya too may visit Bangladesh in the conceivable near future.

KT – A Nobel initiative indeed. The entire team at Kathmandu Tribune wishes you both good luck. On a parting note can you share your future life plans with our readers, who will surely be inspired by your life.

Shooha – I have been a big dreamer and desirous all my life. I see my future as a climate activist. I will basically focus on eco-feminism because I believe this world needs more and more women at the table when we talk about climate change and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).

Aditya – I am desirous of practicing as a litigating lawyer in the Supreme Court of India, while also concurrently meaningfully contributing in the public policy domain. Ultimately, I desire to join public life. I firmly believe that we have enough politicians. We need leaders who actually understand what it means to be a public servant and that is what I want to be.

KT – Kindly share your favorite quote which summarizes your life goals.

Aditya – To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Shooha – The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand

– Vince Lombardi

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Kathmandu Tribune Staff

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