Category Gender, Pluralism and Social Inclusion

Quest for Justice Right to Compensation for Dalit Rape Victim-Survivors

Dalit women face multiple layers of discrimination and barriers when attempting to participate in the criminal justice system. The police and judiciary, which should safeguard vulnerable communities, regularly become structures through which violence against Dalit women is perpetuated. Police often refuse to register FIRs or delay filing charge sheets; cases are
frequently dismissed as closed or false. Arrests of the accused are sporadic, with FIRs only filed after protests and activism, while Dalit women face threats from the dominant caste community, as well as police, judiciary, and public prosecutors.

National Safe Motherhood Day: 11 April

National Safe Motherhood Day must, therefore, be more than a symbolic gesture. It must act as a catalyst for deeper reforms, pushing for improved last-mile delivery of services, cultural sensitization, and robust monitoring of maternal health schemes.

India’s Compliance with International Frameworks on Workplace Sexual Violence: A Global Comparison and Policy Roadmap

Workplace sexual violence remains a major global issue, impacting women’s safety, dignity, and economic participation. Studies indicate that 1 in 3 women worldwide face workplace harassment (ILO, 2022). According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), in 2022, India has over 419 reported cases, equating to about 35 incidents per month. International frameworks like ILO Convention 190 (2019), CEDAW (1979), and the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) set global standards for addressing this issue.

Weakened Sexual Assault Verdicts Undermine Both Gender Justice and Economic Progress

It is welcome that a Supreme Court bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih have stayed the order of Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra of the Allahabad High Court that had downgraded the criminal offence of attempt to rape determined by a lower court to a lesser charge of assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe, and aggravated sexual assault. This matters not just for gender justice, and social justice (the accused and the victim are from different castes separated by a power differential), but also for India’s economic prospects.

Women Leadership in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) at the Gram Panchayat level: Review

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been engaging with the Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) through a series of workshops, conferences, committees, and expert groups on the issues of women empowerment and women leadership. Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) have been instrumental in driving positive change at the grassroots level.

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