Ena Chadha

Ena Chadha is an Indo-Canadian human rights lawyer, investigator, author and educator, known for her equality rights litigation and adjudication.[1][2] Chadha was appointed as the Interim Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on July 22, 2020.[3] Chadha was the 2019 recipient of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce’s Female Professional of the Year Award.[4] Chadha also served as a Co-Reviewer of allegations of racism within the Peel District School Board, second largest public school board in Canada in 2019.[5][6]

Biography

Ena Chadha was born in New Delhi, India and moved to Canada at 2 years of age. Chadha first lived in the Regent Park area of Toronto, Ontario and later settled in Brampton, Ontario, where Chadha attended elementary and high school, graduating from North Park Secondary School in 1986. Chadha has a Journalism degree from Ryerson University, a law degree from University of Saskatchewan, and a Masters of Law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.[7]

Family

Chadha’s parents are Rajinder and Mohinder Chadha and she has a sister, Meena Chadha. In memory of her mother’s death, Chadha and her family established an entrance scholarship at the University of Saskatchewan for a first year female law student of Indigenous background to honour her mother’s legacy of community service and belief in supporting disadvantaged women.[8]

Career

Ena Chadha was appointed as the Interim Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission on July 22, 2020.[3] Chadha's appointment comes at a critical moment as the OHRC seeks to address human rights issues emerging out of the COVID-19 pandemic, while initiating a Right to Read public inquiry[9], and a systemic racism inquiry into the Toronto Police Services.[10]

Highlights of Chadha’s career include serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Human Rights Legal Support Center (2018-2020),[11] Director of Litigation of ARCH: Disability Law Centre (2000-2007) and appointment as Vice-Chair at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (2007-2015),[12] where she served as a mediator and adjudicator rendering important rulings in the areas race discrimination and sexual harassment.[13][14] Chadha has been recognized by the Canadian Bar Association as a Leader of Change for her work in challenging institutionalized inequality and racial barriers.

Publications

Chadha has written extensively on the topic of human rights. Her articles have been published in the Supreme Court Law Review, National Journal of Constitutional Law and Journal of Law and Social Policy. Chadha has contributed to various equality rights books and co-authored a chapter in a recent Oxford University Press treatise about international human rights law for women with disabilities and is a frequent public speaker promoting human rights.[15]

List of Articles
  • Chadha E., “Communicate Clearly: A Key Way to Protect Against Human Rights Complaints”, (2015) 2:2 Canadian Journal of Physician Leadership 42
  • Chadha E., “Human Rights Disclosure Litigation: Uncovering Invisible Medical Records”, (2010) 28 Windsor Y.B. Access Just. 153
  • Chadha E., “‘Mentally Defectives’ Not Welcome: Mental Disability in Canadian Immigration Law, 1859-1927”, (2008) 28:1 Disability Studies Quarterly Journal
  • Rosenbaum P. and Chadha E., “Reconstructing Disability: Integrating Disability Theory into Section 15” (2006) 33 Supreme Court Law Review (2d) 343-365
  • Chadha E., “Running on Empty: The ‘Not So Special Status’ Of Paratransit Services In Ontario” (2005) 20 Windsor Review of Legal and Social Issues 1-40
  • Chadha E. and Sheldon T., “Promoting Equality: Economic and Social Rights For Persons With Disabilities Under Section 15” (2004) 16 National Journal of Constitutional Law 25-98
  • Chadha E. and Schatz L., “Human Dignity and Economic Integrity For Persons With Disabilities: A Commentary on the Supreme Court’s Decisions in Granovsky and Martin” (2004) 19 Journal of Law and Social Policy 94-122
  • Chadha E. and Holder B., “Case Commentary - Turnbull, et al. v. Famous Players” (2002) 17 Journal of Law and Social Policy 145-156
  • Chadha E., “Sins of Omission”, (Spring 1989) Ryerson Review of Journalism

Book Chapters
  • Chadha E. and Mykitiuk R., “Article 6 Women With Disabilities”, The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, (eds.) I. Bantekas, M.A. Stein & D. Anastasiou (Oxford University Press, 2018)
  • Mykitiuk R. and Chadha E., “Sites of Exclusion: Disabled Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Rights” in Critical Perspectives on Human Rights and Disability Law, (eds.) L.A. Basser, M. Jones & M. Rioux (Martinus Nijhoff, Brill Publishers, 2010)
  • Chadha E. “The Social Phenomenon of Handicapping” Adding Feminism to Law: The Contributions of Justice Claire L'Heureux-Dubé (Toronto: Irwin Law, 2004) 209-227 

References
  1. "Disabled immigrant cases reach top court". Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  2. Owens, Anne-Marie (January 8, 2002). "Woman with MS challenges ban on immigration". www.mult-sclerosis.org. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  3. "OHRC welcomes Interim Chief Commissioner".
  4. Ayush (2019-06-08). "ICCC Award Winners 2019". Weekly Voice. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  5. "Human rights lawyer, veteran public servant tapped to review troubled Peel school board | The Star". thestar.com. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  6. "Deputy minister, human rights lawyer appointed to review racism allegations at Peel school board". Toronto. 2019-11-27. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  7. "About & Contact Ena Chadha". lawyer. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  8. Trefiak, Sarah (January 15, 2019). "New Award Celebrates a Mothers Legacy". University of Saskatchewan.
  9. "OHRC launches Right to Read public inquiry".
  10. "Public inquiry into racial profiling and racial discrimination of Black persons by the Toronto Police Service".
  11. "Tribunal delays and privacy rules impacting clients with disabilities". www.lawtimesnews.com. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  12. "HRTO Annual Report 2008/2009" (PDF). Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
  13. "Aboriginal man subjected to racial profiling by Toronto cops | The Star". thestar.com. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  14. "Home Depot discriminated against Sikh man | The Star". thestar.com. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  15. "National AccessAbility Week 2019". The Gazette. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
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