Those Killed Include Innocents, Say Adivasis Of Recent Anti-Naxal Operation In Bastar
A fortnight before polling in Bastar, security forces killed 13 persons in what it called the biggest anti-Naxal operation since 2017. But at least two of those were Adivasi villagers, one of them a young deaf girl
“My Income Hasn’t Changed In Ten Years, And We Have No Savings”
Whether it is putting off an urgent surgery or making do with 250 gm of fish for her family of four once a month, Lakhya Saikia, like most other poorly-paid ASHA workers, has to balance her domestic budget with extreme care
How Caste Smells: Notes From A South Asian Beauty Salon In London
In a London beauty salon run by women from the subcontinent, links between caste, food and odour echo the arguments in the debate in India over a ‘pure vegetarian’ delivery fleet
Rural Jobs Scheme Has Yet To Benefit The Most Marginalised Women Of Maharashtra
Our investigation across eight villages showed just one project available under MGNREGS, forcing women to migrate as far as Odisha in search of work
How Young Women In India Are Carving Space For Themselves In Politics
They don’t helicopter into villages and vamoose. We speak to young women who are political newcomers on how they ensure constant interaction with people
Justice And Normalcy Are Far Dreams For Us, Say Hate Crimes Survivors
These are stories of women whose lives and livelihoods remain ruptured months after they faced sectarian violence
How Evictions And Resettlement Upend Women’s Working Lives
In Delhi, evictions get you resettlement housing but in areas with little access to job, services or essential facilities. And it is the women who struggle the most with travel and livelihood options
‘Sandeshkhali Shows That Women Are Not Passive Beneficiaries of Welfare Schemes’
The fact that they are resisting exploitation ruptures the popular political image of marginalised women, says political scientist Proma Raychaudhury
Cost Of Maternal Healthcare Is Pushing Families Into Debt Trap In Maharashtra
Few women in impoverished packets of rural Maharashtra are aware of government welfare schemes or do not have the documents to access them
In A Forest Amidst Mumbai’s Concrete Jungle, Adivasi Women Are Demanding Their Right To Shelter And Dignity
An ambitious road project is likely to swallow many Adivasi homes in Aarey forest, already the site of many other development projects
‘With UCC, The State Has Become A Father Figure That Sanctions Who We Love’
In a wide-ranging interview on the controversial Uniform Civil Code swiftly pushed through by the Uttarakhand government, feminist legal scholar Surbhi Karwa explains how the law has weaponised the language of women’s rights without actually advancing them
Why This Year’s Interim Gender Budget Is Riddled with Ambiguity
The lack of clarity on exclusion of schemes in previous years, arbitrary increases in scheme allocations, and mismatch in scheme performance and corresponding allocations are concerns
Bribes, Bullying, Sexual Harassment: Why Workers In A Delhi Hospital Want An End To Outsourced Hiring
Striking sanitation workers in Delhi’s Burari Hospital have accused private hiring companies of corrupt practices and sexual harassment
As Ram Mandir Euphoria Peaks, I, A Young Muslim Woman, Am Filled With Dread
In the public discourse around the Mandir, the Muslim voice has been absent. Here is why the community has chosen numbness over articulation
Why A Dalit Woman Is Demanding A Cremation Ground For Dalits In Her Village
In rural Maharashtra, landless Dalit families often struggle to find space to cremate their dead. Pramila Zombade wants that to change
Assam’s Family Size Norm For New Initiative Could Hit Its Marginalised Women Most
Linking economic welfare schemes for women to their family size will further limit women’s participation in work and increase their vulnerabilities, argue experts
How ASHA Workers’ Overwhelming Workload Impacts India’s Healthcare System
The relentless cycle of field and paperwork is affecting their mental health, leaving them prone to errors
What Justice for Bilkis Bano Means For Feminist Solidarity
Feminist solidarities come in all forms — legal petitions, street protests, Whatsapp conversations, vigils and signature campaigns – as the Bilkis case shows
Why Maharashtra’s Anganwadi Workers Stir Is Spiralling Into A Livelihood Crisis
Faced with termination and loss of salary, striking Anganwadi workers in the state are living in fear and anxiety
Why Adivasis Of Hasdeo Aranya Are Back On The Streets, Again
Protests to protect one of India’s largest forested corridors has been ongoing for over the past one decade
For Young Women, Savitribai Phule’s Legacy Of Rebellion Is Empowering
The bright red slash of kumkum across her forehead has become a mark of feminist solidarity
Their Roles Ambiguous, ASHA Workers Fight For The Right To Contest Elections
There is state pressure to dissuade frontline health workers from fighting for political office even though they are still hired as ‘honorary volunteers’
When Women Became The Main Spectacle In Manipur’s Civil Conflict
Sangi Duhlian is constantly browsing her phone for updates on the Gaza war on social media. She is anxious and triggered by the war in the […]
Why The Digital Dream Soured Quickly For Anganwadi Workers
Anganwadi workers says their role has gone from deliverers of schemes to being data collectors for the government
“50, Fat and Frumpy: Our bodies deserve respect”
In conversation with playwright Jyoti Dogra, whose new play Maas discusses patriarchy, capitalism and our bodies
Freedom, Enterprise And Sisterhood: What Women Find At Chaityabhumi
The annual Mahaparinirvan Din means many things for the women who throng the annual event in Mumbai to mark Dr.Ambedkar’s life and work
Kabaddi Means More Than A Game For Women Wage Workers Of Rural Maharashtra
A unique sports event gives women from poor homes the chance to defy gender norms and find sisterhood in play
‘Data Breach Affects Women More, Has Chilling Effect On Their Online Participation’
Data breaches not only violate digital boundaries, but also have real-world consequences that disproportionately affect women and marginalised groups, says Radhika Roy of the Internet Freedom Foundation
After Recent Elections, Women’s Share Increases In 4 State Assemblies
Two in five women fielded by major parties won in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana elections
Why Bastar’s Young Adivasi Women Struggle For A University Education
It is difficult for young Adivasis to leave home and head for neighbouring towns or far metros to join universities. For the women, these challenges are multiplied by fear of the city and social biases
Despite New Statehood, Female Representation In Telangana Lags Behind
In the south, Telangana has one of the lowest shares of female MLAs, doing worse than its sibling state Andhra Pradesh
Why The Adivasi Protest Against Mining In Gadchiroli Shows No Sign Of Flagging
Intensification of mining activity has upset the tribal groups for whom the Surjagarh Hill, forest and water bodies are sacred
Women Win In Tougher Poll Fights In Rajasthan, Yet Don’t Get Enough Chances
In the last two decades of their rivalry in Rajasthan, only around 10% of the candidates picked by the BJP and Congress have been women
Why Homi, 15, Has No Option But Work At A Mine In Rajasthan, 7 Days A Week
Rural women have few work options in the state and poverty does not allow them to study either
Why Lives And Deaths Of Trans Persons Remain Underreported, Undocumented
Procedural issues around self-identification mean that the real numbers are rarely reflected in official data, show studies
For These Women Running Public Toilets In Mumbai, The Workday Lasts 15 Exhausting Hours
On World Toilet Day, here are the stories of two women who struggle to keep sanitation complexes in the slums of Mumbai clean and safe
In Rural Madhya Pradesh, Women Struggle To Access Govt Schemes Aimed At Them
The Madhya Pradesh government is going all out to woo women with special schemes. But how do the women see this outreach, we ask
How Young Girls In Small Towns Learn about Sex In The Absence Of Sex Education
With sex education centred around reproductive biology and not consent or pleasure, young girls in small towns rely on their peers, family and the internet
‘’We Are Being Intimidated For Seeking Job Security And Fair Wages’
There are growing instances of criminalisation of women workers protesting for better work conditions and wages. After ASHA, Anganwadi and Mid-Day Meal workers, this is happening to the communications workers at Dial 112 in Uttar Pradesh
Several Schemes, But Bastar’s Adivasi Women Still Remain Highly Anaemic
The acute anaemia crisis in the state is missing from the poll agenda of Chhattisgarh’s political parties
With No Women Legislators, Mizoram Buckles Up For Assembly Elections
Since it attained statehood, women have made for only 4% of all candidates who have contested in Mizoram’s electoral history
Maratha Women’s Voices Missing In Public Discourse Around Reservation
Even the women who are leading pro-reservation rallies in Maharashtra are using the language of patriarchy
Why Odisha’s Adivasi Women Are Trekking Forests And Hills To Collectivise Against A Mining Project
The Sijimali mining project could end up destroying a fragile ecosystem and an entire way of life, say Adivasi women and they are determined to protect them
Why Women In Maharashtra Are Agitated About Ration-To-Cash Switch
Ration cardholders in various parts of Maharashtra are complaining that they are being denied food grains even before cash transfers have been made to their bank accounts
‘Our Movement Will Continue For ASHA Workers In Other States’: Sunita Rani
After a 73-day protest, Haryana’s ASHA workers were able to negotiate for themselves a Rs 2100 hike in their honorarium. This surpasses what is paid by Kerala, the state that pays ASHA workers the highest amount. But the Haryana ASHA workers union is determined to continue the movement for those working in other states too.
For Women Hawkers In Mumbai’s Flower Market, The Day Begins In Jungles
Despite the enervating humidity of the mid-October night in Mumbai, Bhimabai Zunjure, 40, is deftly working a mound of mango leaves into neat bunches. She sits on the bridge leading to the Dadar flower market, and looks up from her work to only sell the leaves which are in high demand for the ongoing Navratri rituals.
73 Days and Counting, ASHA Workers Continue Their Strike For More Pay In Haryana
The frontline health workers have called for a 24-hour strike outside district offices and homes of political leaders
Chhattisgarh: State With Highest Percentage of Women MLAs Gears Up For Elections
Since its first assembly election as a separate state in 2003, Chhattisgarh has seen a steady increase in the number of women contestants as well as the number of elected women representatives
One In Two Trans Men Struggle To Access Basic Healthcare: Study
Most trans men and transmasculine individuals in India end up seeking private medical care because of multiple hurdles to government schemes, says a study
Malnutrition, Poor Rural Public Health Infrastructure Behind Infant and Maternal Deaths In Maharashtra
Sunita Sahebrao Dandekar (28), a Dalit woman from Kharvad village in Hingoli district in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra had to be rushed to Dr. Shankarrao […]
How A Trade Unionist Used Art To Power Her Unique Trade Union Journey
Culture is a powerful medium to collectivise and empower the working class, says the veteran union leader
‘Buses Don’t Stop For Us, We Are Shamed For Free Travel’: Delhi’s Women Commuters
Up to 80% women complain that buses drive past them and they have to frequently deal with snide remarks about freeloading
Does the size of an organisation have any link to the share of women it employs?
Key Highlights Firms with a larger number of total employees had a higher proportion of female workers For every 1 percent additional workers firms hire, the […]
What An Evening At Purdah Bagh In Old Delhi Says About Women And Leisure
Are segregated parks for women the solution to a city’s heavily male-dominated leisure spaces? Even as urban planners and feminists argue, we take a walk in Old Delhi’s historical zenana parks to find some answers
How A Dalit Women Led Trade Union Made History
In January 2021, when Jayasre Kathiravel, a 20-year old employee of a garment factory in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul district was sexually assaulted and murdered by the […]
‘I Am Furious With How State, Politicians Neglect The Poor And Marginalised’
In the bastis of east Mumbai, trade union leader Sangeeta Kamble is an ally and friend of the
Indian Women Have No Say In Their Own Healthcare. Here Is How That Can Be Changed
Guwahati: One evening, my partner and I were comparing notes after work. “I had to explain the prognosis of a female patient to her next-door neighbour,” […]
What Beauty Parlours In Jharkhand Villages Tell Us About Gender, Caste And Hope
Parlours are small pockets of rebellion and assertion where girls and young women find solidarity in small towns and villages
How Assam’s Human-Elephant Conflict Is Impacting Women’s Physical And Mental Health
When entire fields and homes are flattened by elephant movement, it is the women, as primary caregivers, who deal with acute anxiety and deprivation
We’re Humiliated, Denied Reduced Bus Fares For Women, Say Trans women In Maharashtra
Every time they ask for the concessional tickets for women on state buses, trans women are asked to furnish gender and identity proof
‘Anything Can Happen’. Why Kuki Women In Assam’s Camps Fear Returning To Manipur
Resources are sparse at this refugee camp in Silchar but women from Manipur who have sheltered here with their families do not want to return home yet
How The Amendments to Karnataka Factories Act Will Impact Women Garment Workers
Karnataka’s Factories Act amendments raise concerns about worker welfare, women’s rights, and need for international standard compliance
Anger, Anxiety, Loneliness: How Haryana’s Communal Violence Looks Through The Gender Lens
Poverty, injustice and insecurity have added to the vulnerability of the women affected by the communal violence in Haryana
Women Waste Pickers Jeopardise Their Lives For As Little As Rs 100 A Day
In July, a woman rag picker died as her foot caught in a waste truck during a desperate scramble to find valuable scrap. Her story reveals the highly hazardous conditions in which waste pickers work for a pittance
Gender Based Violence Among Adivasis Comes From Long Years Of Paternalist, Upper Caste Administration
‘Modern’ institutions like schools, colleges, hospitals, media and the district and state administrations have played a big role in shaping the gender dynamics among Adivasis
More Women, Marginalised Community Teachers In Bihar’s Public Schools. But The Good News Ends There
Only 20% of students attend primary schools in Bihar’s Araria and Katihar districts, revealing a grim post-pandemic state of government schools.
Jobs, Education Interrupted, Manipur’s Women Struggle To Rebuild Their Lives
A student just an exam away from finishing her Masters, a dental doctor on the verge of a career, and a school warden held hostage – the violence in Manipur has left them all rudderless. We speak to them in Delhi as they seek to rebuild their lives
Punjab’s Free Bus Scheme Has Changed Women’s Lives But Its Future Is Shaky
The number of women commuters has doubled but with no funds, public bus networks are stretched, leading to overcrowding and disrupted schedules
How A Women’s Collective In Delhi Is Aiding Displaced Communities In Manipur
The violence in Manipur has displaced thousands of people who are now staying in refugee camps. A tribal women’s collective from the north east is spearheading relief operations out of Delhi
Why The Uniform Civil Code Has Become A Polarising Idea
The debate around the UCC goes back to colonial times. Here is an explainer of how the idea has evolved over time
How A Regressive Transgender Act Was Finally Thrown Out
The Telangana High Court recently struck down the state’s Eunuch’s Act which criminalised the entire transgender community. We explain why it was outdated and violative of citizen rights
Sleep And Night Time Economy In A Street Vendor Neighbourhood
What are the peculiarities of sleep and rest in the life of a female street vendor who works in a market that opens before dawn? Can alternate ideas of urban planning help reimagine her life, ease her anxieties? We return to Delhi’s Raghubir Nagar for answers
Women Bear The Biggest Cost Of Climate Disasters In Coastal Bangladesh
Frequent cyclones and erratic floods are increasing saltwater contamination, leading to health hazards and distressing living conditions
A Ramble Through Delhi’s Queer History, Told Through Monuments And Subcultures
A heritage walk looks at the capital city’s historic and contemporary spaces through the queer lens, revealing some less known insights
In Their Fight For Space, Female Vendors Deal With Everyday Violence
Violent evictions from streets, abuse and brutality are routine for street vendors. A law to protect their rights suffers from flawed implementation
‘Digital Art Gave Me Control Over My Work As A Queer Disabled Artist’
Digital illustrator Ritika Gupta talks about the significance of the digital medium for neurodivergent artists and why community networks for disabled artists must thrive
Aaram Ki Jagah: Tracing Leisure Spaces For Raghubir Nagar’s Women Vendors
In this, the third in the series ‘Placing Work, Mapping Places’, we explore the many reasons why Raghubir Nagar’s women hawkers associate leisure with the safety of places of worship
‘Queer Affirmative Medical Education Should Begin At School, Not College’
Medical education has remained largely binary, focusing on male/female bodies, heterosexuality and Cis-gendered lives. There are nascent efforts now to make medical education – and the […]
Despite growing climate risk, livestock insurance is out of women farmers’ reach
Government policies oblivious to gender and caste inequities leave women livestock farmers from lowered communities without economic safety nets.
Delhi Needs 11 Sexual Harassment Panels For Informal Workers. Only One Is Effective
Except one, none of the PoSH-mandated Local Committees in the capital are doing what they should – create conditions that encourage women workers from the informal sector to speak up against sexual violence
‘Life Is Not Over For Trans Persons Over 50, I Want To Use Theatre To Say This’
Theatre can be a powerful, joyful medium for the trans gender community to make its voice heard
Love Should Be A Radical Tool Of Rebellion Against Caste
A trainer who works with marginalised youth groups believes that Dalit women in intercaste relationships do not get the respect they deserve
Five Years On, Odisha’s Transgender Persons Yet To Get Land Under State Scheme
A range of issues – state apathy, knotty conditions, local hostility – hobble the programme
Godna: The Resistance Art Form Of Madhubani’s Dalit Dusadh Women
Godna, the fine art of tattoo painting, is practised by Dalit Dusadh women. Its approach, raw material, and themes are nothing like the more popular Mithila artwork
Virtual Sexual Violence Is Everywhere, From Chat Rooms To Webinars
There is little conversation around violence against women and other marginalised groups on the internet
Homes Razed, Tughlaqabad’s Women Agitate For Rehabilitation Rights
The bulldozers arrived with no notice, women allege, leaving them stranded without shelter or belongings
Why Punjab, Not Kerala Or Gujarat, Has A ‘Missing’ Women Problem
Data debunks false claims about ‘missing women’, the real problem lies elsewhere
How Familial Hostility, Binary Laws Hinder Property Rights Of Transgender Persons
Gendered laws and emotional issues between transgender persons and their often estranged families are problem areas
Understanding ‘Rape On Promise Of Marriage’: The Reliance On Caste, Gender Stereotypes
Feminists have critiqued the use of criminal law in ‘rape on the promise of marriage’ but the issue of intersectionalities cannot be ignored
Tired of Roaming About At Home And In The World
The country is partitioned. India is independent. Crowds of people are pouring in from East Pakistan—from Jessore, Khulna, Barisal, Faridpur, via Kushtia and the border at […]
Jaharveer Mela In Mathura Is An Assertion of Dalit Faith, Cultural Identity
The Jaharveer festival is an important event in the life of Mathura’s Valmikis, marking their distinct culture and identity
Dalit Lacemakers Of Narsapuram: How They Found Dignity And Livelihood In 19th Century
A craft brought by the missionaries changed the lives of Dalit women in multiple ways before it became the domain of a dominant caste
Seen-Unseen
In cities like Lucknow and Varanasi, multiple barriers prevent queer women from accessing safe mental healthcare. Some of them turn to their community for comfort.
The Subtle Brutal Flavours of Casteism In My Family Kitchen
In an intercaste marriage, patriarchy and caste privilege decide food practices
It Is Time For Transgender Actors To Shine, In All Kinds Of Roles
The director of ‘Nooramma: Biriyani Durbar’, a play about Tamil Nadu’s biryani entrepreneurs from the transgender community, talks about his oeuvre and theatre as a space that brings many marginalised identities together.
In Conversation with Du Saraswathi
With the women’s movement, theatre and Buddhism as her learning field, Du Saraswathi contemplates the truth written on our bodies.
Dalit History Month: Writing Our Own Histories
Dalit histories are diverse and it is important to record and remember everything we can until they become mainstream.
A data story on female child marriage in India
The authors use a novel dataset based on NFHS-5 to present data highlights on child marriage in parliamentary constituencies across India. They trace the prevalence of female child marriage and the extent to which the situation has improved in certain states over the years. They discuss the issue of underreporting and the need for a holistic approach in empowering women to ensure a reduction in female child marriage rates.
Vending Law Ineffective, Raghubir Nagar’s Pheriwalis Reimagine Safe Work Spaces
In this, the second in the series ‘Placing Work, Mapping Places’, we detail the struggles of Raghubir Nagar’s pheriwalis in dealing with street and State violence. We ask them to reimagine their workspaces as safer, gender-friendly and more productive.
Decoding women’s labour force participation in 2021-22: What the Periodic Labour Force Survey shows
After recording some improvement in recent years, the growth in female labour force participation rate in India now seems to be stagnating. Among the women who work, the share of those who are self-employed has been increasing in recent years, even as their average earnings, already low, have dwindled further.