Shaneel Shavneel Lal is iTaukei and Indian and identifies as vakasalewalewa and hijra. They are a member of the first ever cohort of Young Justice Leaders, a group of young leaders that have come together to facilitate collaboration, build networks, and contribute to the global policy dialogue around justice for all - demonstrating that people-centered justice is possible and necessary. Lal is the founder of the Conversion Therapy Action Group, a group working to end conversion therapy in Aotearoa New Zealand. Lal is an executive board member of Rainbow Youth and Auckland Pride Festival and a trustee of Adhikaar Aotearoa, a non-profit charity that provides education, support and advocacy for queer South Asians. Lal has served as an advisor to the New Zealand Minister of Education for three years and has sat on Amnesty International’s Youth Task Force. They have been Global Youth Leader for the Open Government Partnership. Lal is a model, political commentator on queer and indigenous rights issues and a law and psychology student at the University of Auckland. As a writer, Lal focuses on indigenous queerness. Shaneel will participate in the World Justice Forum working session Intergenerational Dialogue on People-Centered Justice.


Shaneel Shavneel will participate in the World Justice Forum working session Intergenerational Dialogue on People-Centered Justice