Stories
Read all our in depth and nuanced reportage on issues that matter on gender.
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.
‘Gender, Region, Orientalist Bias Marginalised Hyderabad’s Women Urdu Writers’
Hyderabad has had a 150-year-long history of women writing prose in Urdu, a longer one of poetry and other oral and creative expressions. But we know …
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Why Society Needs To Reimagine Care Work, Support We Cannot Do Without
Currently, India’s legal structure shows little respect for care work of any kind
‘Untouchable’ After Birth, Uttarakhand’s New Mothers Are Left In Stressful Isolation
At a time when women urgently need rest, support and monitoring, ritual segregation can be dangerous
Why Focus Must Shift From What Restricts Women’s Employment To What Works For Them
NEW DELHI: As a young PhD student just embarking on research, I was very certain that I wanted to contribute to the field of education economics. …
Why Focus Must Shift From What Restricts Women’s Employment To What Works For Them Read More »
Intersectionality, The Missing Link In The Women’s Reservation Bill
Intersectionality has long been ignored in India’s mainstream feminist movement as a critical issue
Placing Work, Mapping Places — Stories of Raghubir Nagar’s women informal workers
In India’s cheapest second-hand clothes market, women have to reclaim public spaces to assert their right to livelihood constantly
How many women work in India’s factories?
Of the millions of workers who worked in India’s factories in 2019-20, less than a fifth were women. This share has remained largely unchanged for over two decades
As LPG Prices Soar, Women Return To Toxic Traditional Stoves
A 51.7% rise in the price of LPG refills between January 2021 and July 2022 has forced women from low-incomes homes to minimise the use of gas stoves
Illusion Of Freedom Vs Tyranny Of Gig Work: The Dilemma Of Urban Co’s ‘Partners’
There are rising tensions between the aspirations of thousands of workers and the work structure of the gig economy
Long shadows in the sunset
With limited support structures, India’s LGBTQIA+ community has to work harder to plan for ageing and infirmity
Why Women Stringers Are Missing From Telugu Media In Small Towns
The job is too ‘dangerous’, ‘dirty’ for women, say male-dominated newsrooms
Indian Insurers Are Denying Health Cover For Intellectual, Developmental Disabilities
Despite clear guidelines, insurance companies in India exclude those with intellectual and developmental disabilities from coverage
How Laws Founded On Ideas Of Honour, Purity Have Devastating Effect On Right To Choice
New Delhi: On December 13, 2022 the government of Maharashtra declared the establishment of a 13-member committee to ‘track’ inter-religious marriages. As per the resolution, this …
How Laws Founded On Ideas Of Honour, Purity Have Devastating Effect On Right To Choice Read More »
How The Two-Finger Test Perpetuates Rape Myths Centred Around ‘Honour’
Trigger Warning: This piece contains mentions of sexual violence which may be triggering for readers. New Delhi: On October 31, 2022 the Supreme Court of India once …
How The Two-Finger Test Perpetuates Rape Myths Centred Around ‘Honour’ Read More »
No Place Like Home
Transgender persons in India constantly negotiate their identities with the spaces they grow up in, live in, or move through in search of a home within and outside.
How The Climate Crisis Is Driving Sex Trafficking In Arid Rayalaseema
Kadiri (Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh): The livelihood crisis created by scorching summers, failed monsoons and frequent droughts in the arid Rayalaseema region of southwestern Andhra Pradesh …
How The Climate Crisis Is Driving Sex Trafficking In Arid Rayalaseema Read More »
Why Informal Micro Businesses Run By Women Are Not Benefiting From E-Formalisation
Delhi: “What is this Udyam Registration Certificate? Why do I need the certificate?” Kalpanaben*, who runs a saree business out of her house in Delhi, is …
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Why Forced Restitution Of Conjugal Rights Defies Ideas of Liberty, Equality
New Delhi: In June 1885, a 21-year-old woman, calling herself ‘Hindu Lady’, wrote two letters to The Times of India attacking the ‘wicked institutions’ of infant …
Why Forced Restitution Of Conjugal Rights Defies Ideas of Liberty, Equality Read More »
Women Bear The Emotional Burden Of Kashmir’s Infertility Crisis
Srinagar: Aiman Bhat, 39, describes herself as hanth, a pejorative in Kashmiri for childless women. She is an accomplished young woman with a doctorate in humanities …
Women Bear The Emotional Burden Of Kashmir’s Infertility Crisis Read More »
Three Lessons On Equality From Supreme Court’s Hijab Verdict
NEW DELHI:On October 13, the Supreme Court of India passed its judgement on the hijab ban in educational institutions imposed by the Karnataka Government. The two-judge …
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Harassment, Assault, Murder – But Stalking Is Still Not A ‘Serious’ Crime
New Delhi: The murder last week of Chennai college student Sathya Priya by her stalker is at once horrific and familiar: a young woman is followed …
Harassment, Assault, Murder – But Stalking Is Still Not A ‘Serious’ Crime Read More »
Why Elderly Women With Disabilities Are At Highest Risk of Abuse, Neglect
Mumbai: Forced to depend on their family for support and care because of social norms and ineffective government policies, elderly women with disabilities are highly vulnerable …
Why Elderly Women With Disabilities Are At Highest Risk of Abuse, Neglect Read More »
A Day In The Life Of Women Garment Workers: Some Lessons For Employers
Bangalore: In 2021, a qualitative study was carried out on women’s career progression, access to healthcare and grievance redressal mechanisms across the textile and apparel industry. …
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India’s Workplace Harassment Law Has Failed Informal, Marginalised Workers
New Delhi: India’s law on sexual harassment at work has failed to account for the experiences of informal sector working women, most of who are from …
India’s Workplace Harassment Law Has Failed Informal, Marginalised Workers Read More »
How India’s Falling Maternal Death Rate Masks Acute Regional, Social Disparities
New Delhi: The steady fall in India’s maternal mortality rate over the last two decades glosses over significant variations between states, districts and social groups, show …
How India’s Falling Maternal Death Rate Masks Acute Regional, Social Disparities Read More »
Why Surrogates Are Still Passive Deliverers Of Service, With Few Rights
New Delhi: India’s new laws on surrogacy, meant to prevent exploitative practices, still do not fully recognise the surrogate’s rights to full economic, medical, legal, and …
Why Surrogates Are Still Passive Deliverers Of Service, With Few Rights Read More »
How Forced Evictions Are Pushing Women To The Edge Of Precarity
New Delhi: For two years now Shabana Khatoon has been living under a tarpaulin sheet near the Dhobi Ghat in south Delhi’s Jamia Nagar. For 20 …
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Why Courts Must Stop Fixating On The ‘Modesty’ Of Survivors Of Sexual Violence
New Delhi: The use of the archaic idea of feminine “modesty” in the interpretation of the penal laws on sexual violence is regressive because it undermines …
Why Courts Must Stop Fixating On The ‘Modesty’ Of Survivors Of Sexual Violence Read More »
Why Delhi’s Sex Ratio Ranks Among The Worst In India
New Delhi: The sex ratio of the National Capital Territory of Delhi has been consistently skewed over three decades, shows a BehanBox analysis. The reason for …
Why Delhi’s Sex Ratio Ranks Among The Worst In India Read More »
Navigating Statelessness: How Laws Fail Bangladeshi Trafficking Survivors In India
Kolkata/New Delhi: Nafeesa Bibi* (36) was 16 when she left her home in a Bangladesh village and swam across the Ichhamati river into Bongaon in the …
Navigating Statelessness: How Laws Fail Bangladeshi Trafficking Survivors In India Read More »
‘Over 80% Of Nomadic Homes Have No Toilets, 70% None Near Them’
Thane District: With no attention paid to their sanitation needs, India’s nomadic communities are forced to either defecate in the open or struggle for access to …
‘Over 80% Of Nomadic Homes Have No Toilets, 70% None Near Them’ Read More »
Why India’s Nomadic Tribes Must Have Access To Toilets And Dignity
Mumbai: “You are talking about money for ration. Forget hundreds of rupees for food, we don’t have Rs 10 to give to the toilet attendant for …
Why India’s Nomadic Tribes Must Have Access To Toilets And Dignity Read More »
How All-Girls Collectives Are Battling Sex Trafficking In Sundarbans
Basanti (South 24 Parganas, West Bengal) /New Delhi: With criminal networks, apathetic policing and patriarchal practices turning the impoverished Sundarbans delta region in West Bengal into …
How All-Girls Collectives Are Battling Sex Trafficking In Sundarbans Read More »
Why India’s Abortion Law Still Lacks Principles Of Reproductive Justice
New Delhi: India’s abortion law has evolved over 50 years to become seemingly progressive but it is still not rooted in the idea of reproductive justice, …
Why India’s Abortion Law Still Lacks Principles Of Reproductive Justice Read More »
Inflation-Hit, Women Demand Better Wages, More Workdays Under Rural Jobs Scheme
New Delhi: As August rains swept Delhi, more than 500 workers, mostly women, gathered around the Jantar Mantar monument to protest delayed wages, reduced workdays and …
Inflation-Hit, Women Demand Better Wages, More Workdays Under Rural Jobs Scheme Read More »
Explainer: Patriarchal Rules Continue To Decide Parenthood In Official Documents
New Delhi: After her undergraduate studies, Tara* decided to take an education loan to pursue a Master’s degree. In her loan application forms she named her …
Explainer: Patriarchal Rules Continue To Decide Parenthood In Official Documents Read More »
Why India Is Struggling With The Burden Of Teen Pregnancies
New Delhi: The pandemic may have undone decades of work in controlling teen pregnancies, shows a Behanbox analysis: at least 7% of all women aged 15-19 …
Why India Is Struggling With The Burden Of Teen Pregnancies Read More »
How Tina, A Van Gujjar Trans Woman, Navigates Many Marginal Identities
Haridwar, Uttarakhand: At the wedding of her baji (aunt), Tina was so awestruck by the dark red bridal suit that she was adamant she would wear …
How Tina, A Van Gujjar Trans Woman, Navigates Many Marginal Identities Read More »
Why India’s Abortion Law Needs To Be Rid Of Moralism
New Delhi: Last week, the Supreme Court passed an interim order allowing an unmarried woman to abort a 24-week pregnancy. The court ordered the constitution of …
Why India’s Abortion Law Needs To Be Rid Of Moralism Read More »
‘We Rarely Connect The Social Worlds Of Migrant Women Workers’
‘Mobile Girls Koottam: Working Women Speak’, released in 2021, documents the real-life conversations between gender and labour rights scholar Madhumita Dutta, radio podcaster Samyuktha PC and …
‘We Rarely Connect The Social Worlds Of Migrant Women Workers’ Read More »
Why Women Sugarcane Cutters Of Maharashtra Seek Needless Hysterectomies
Kaij taluka (Beed district): Sugarcane cutting is relentless, backbreaking work, say the migrant women workers of Kothi village in Kaij taluka of Maharashtra’s Beed district. You …
Why Women Sugarcane Cutters Of Maharashtra Seek Needless Hysterectomies Read More »
Why Gender Crimes Need Exclusive Not Segregated Handling By Police: Studies
New Delhi: Police stations with help desks for women, especially those run by women, are more likely to register cases of gender-based violence, says a new …
Why Gender Crimes Need Exclusive Not Segregated Handling By Police: Studies Read More »
Fact Check: Why Fears That SC Observation Will Widen Gender Pay Gap Are Baseless
New Delhi: The apex court observed recently that a government employee cannot demand pay parity only on grounds of similarity in designation and quantum of work. …
Fact Check: Why Fears That SC Observation Will Widen Gender Pay Gap Are Baseless Read More »
A Menstrual Disorder Suffered By Billions of Women Is Still Dismissed Lightly
Majuli: I always suspected there was something wrong with the way I experience my periods. There were many days that I would feel the onset of …
A Menstrual Disorder Suffered By Billions of Women Is Still Dismissed Lightly Read More »
How Delays In Victim Compensation Fund Fail Trafficking Survivors
New Delhi: The Calcutta High Court has ordered the Government of West Bengal to ensure adequate funds with the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) to disburse …
How Delays In Victim Compensation Fund Fail Trafficking Survivors Read More »
Why Delhi Cannot Celebrate Its Declining Gender Crime Numbers Yet
New Delhi: Here are some critical data-points on crimes against women in Delhi for the year 2020 from the Crime in India report by National Crime …
Why Delhi Cannot Celebrate Its Declining Gender Crime Numbers Yet Read More »
Why Credit Coops Outdo Banks In Alleviating Financial Distress Of Informal Workers
New Delhi: Inclusive financial networks such as credit cooperatives are more effective than traditional financial institutions in relieving the financial distress of women whose lives and …
Why Credit Coops Outdo Banks In Alleviating Financial Distress Of Informal Workers Read More »
How Digital Spaces Are Pushing Marginalised Women Campaigners Further Into Shadows
New Delhi: The rights of women from India’s marginalised communities are being disproportionately constrained and eroded in digital civic spaces, says a report by The Bachchao …
How Digital Spaces Are Pushing Marginalised Women Campaigners Further Into Shadows Read More »
Why It Is Hard For Disabled Women, Queer Persons To Leave Abusive Partners
Bengaluru: Reema*, 32, has been married for about five years but the man she thought would be her life partner has turned out to be a …
Why It Is Hard For Disabled Women, Queer Persons To Leave Abusive Partners Read More »
How Caste Pride Is Driving The Spate Of Child Marriages In TN
Chennai: In the evening hours of the last week of May, I was getting ready to attend a political meeting when my phone buzzed. It was …
How Caste Pride Is Driving The Spate Of Child Marriages In TN Read More »
Trans Persons With Disabilities Lack Enabling Social Systems and Healthcare Support
Mumbai: India has laws and support systems for both transgender persons and people with disabilities, but none for those who are both identities – trans persons …
Trans Persons With Disabilities Lack Enabling Social Systems and Healthcare Support Read More »
SC Order Grants Dignity To Sex Work But It Is Far From Being Decriminalised
New Delhi: The recent Supreme Court directives on guaranteeing sex workers dignity and constitutional freedoms still leaves some critical problem areas unaddressed and these can only …
SC Order Grants Dignity To Sex Work But It Is Far From Being Decriminalised Read More »
Perpetrators Change But Violence Follows Bangladeshi Women Across The Indo-Bangladesh Border
How do state borders create and sustain the binaries between ‘citizen’ and ‘foreigner’? What implication do these have on the lived experiences of the women who …
In Delhi’s Illegal Factories, Hazards, Precarity Are Every Day Challenges For Women Workers
New Delhi: The recent industrial fire at an electronic assembly unit of Cofe Impex Pvt Ltd in west Delhi’s Mundka village has exposed the social and …
Insistence On Digital ID Limits Access To Abortion In India, Raises Privacy Concerns
New Delhi: The insistence on furnishing a digital identity proof, especially Aadhaar, at healthcare facilities not only limits women’s access to abortions, which is highly stigmatised …
Insistence On Digital ID Limits Access To Abortion In India, Raises Privacy Concerns Read More »
How Punitive Demolition Drives Deepen The Precarity Of Muslim Women
NEW DELHI: On Monday, May 9, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation brought bulldozers and the police to Shaheen Bagh to remove “illegal encroachments”. Residents protested against …
How Punitive Demolition Drives Deepen The Precarity Of Muslim Women Read More »
Abortion Is Legal In India But Rules, Stigma Make It Hard To Access
Mumbai: At 25, and into the fourth year of an abusive marriage, N*, discovered that she was eight weeks into an unwanted pregnancy. She approached a …
Abortion Is Legal In India But Rules, Stigma Make It Hard To Access Read More »
“We’re Capable. We Can Do It”; Jagadevi’s Decade-Long Engagement With Local Governance
Jagadevi, a seasoned elected woman representative, is currently serving as a ward member of the Chittawadi gram panchayat in north-east Karnataka’s Bidar district. She has been …
“We’re Capable. We Can Do It”; Jagadevi’s Decade-Long Engagement With Local Governance Read More »
Why Climate Impact On Tea Yield Is Making Women Workers Sick
Darjeeling: From skin inflammation and blurred vision to respiratory and digestive disorders, women workers in Darjeeling’s tea plantations are struggling with an array of health issues …
Why Climate Impact On Tea Yield Is Making Women Workers Sick Read More »
“They Want To Show Us Our ‘Place’. We Will Continue To Show Up” Shahida Banu Takes Head-On Patriarchal Mores
Shahida Banu’s decision to run for the seat of a sarpanch of Kuraj panchayat in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan was met with great resistance from the …
‘Where Can They Burn Their Pads?’ Caste And Access To Menstrual Products
Lack of information on and access to hygienic practices adversely affects girls and women, especially from marginalized castes and tribes. Only 37% women across India reported …
‘Where Can They Burn Their Pads?’ Caste And Access To Menstrual Products Read More »
Livelihoods Lost, Jahangirpuri’s Muslim Women Struggle With Economic & Emotional Precarity
New Delhi: On the morning of April 20, Raheema Begum* watched as her family’s only source of livelihood, a cold drink kiosk, was reduced to rubble …
How Indian Laws Patronise Working Women, Limit Job Opportunities
New Delhi: Leela had been a binding assistant at the Kerala Books and Publications Society, a state-owned textbook publishing house, for 19 years when she was …
How Indian Laws Patronise Working Women, Limit Job Opportunities Read More »
A Dalit Women’s Union Wrests a First-Ever Private Pact Ensuring Gender Safety At Work
New Delhi: After a year-long campaign by a Dalit women’s union in Tamil Nadu, the multinational fast-fashion brand H&M and its Tamil Nadu-based supplier, Eastman Exports …
A Dalit Women’s Union Wrests a First-Ever Private Pact Ensuring Gender Safety At Work Read More »
Dalit Survivors Of Sexual Violence Deal With Blocks To Justice At Every Step
[This article contains descriptions of sexual and physical violence, which might trigger unwelcome and distressing memories or thoughts. We advise readers to use their discretion before …
Dalit Survivors Of Sexual Violence Deal With Blocks To Justice At Every Step Read More »
Why Only 1 In 10 Survivors Of Domestic Violence Seeks Justice
Patan, Gujarat: Every third married woman in India faces spousal violence but only one in 10 seeks any help, says a 2020 study published in the …
Why Only 1 In 10 Survivors Of Domestic Violence Seeks Justice Read More »
In Gujarat’s Poorest Tribal Pocket, A Women’s Agri Collective Shows The Way
Mapusa, Goa: Last November, 0ver 100 guests got to sample the tribal cuisine of the Bhil tribe during the annual three-day conference of the Institute of …
In Gujarat’s Poorest Tribal Pocket, A Women’s Agri Collective Shows The Way Read More »
India’s New Transgender Portal Is Caught In Red Tape, Apathy and Bias
New Delhi: Roll call is always traumatising for Veronica Tyagi, 19, a trans woman studying zoology at the Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Punjab. Every time …
India’s New Transgender Portal Is Caught In Red Tape, Apathy and Bias Read More »
Health Workers Can Be Critical In The Campaign Against Domestic Violence
Patan, Gujarat: “A pregnant woman has been hit in the stomach by her husband; she is bleeding. There are also marks of assault on her legs …
Health Workers Can Be Critical In The Campaign Against Domestic Violence Read More »
Desire, Sexuality And Choice: Disabled Indian Women And Queer Persons On Their Experiences
Bengaluru: When they were 18, Nu, a non-binary person with physical and speech disabilities, recalls apologising often to their dates: “I’m sorry I walk with a …
Gujarat’s Rural Hospitals Become Support Centres For Domestic Violence Survivors
Patan, Gujarat: The excitement is palpable at the gathering of around 30 women, old and young, seated in a circle at the sub-district hospital in Patan …
Gujarat’s Rural Hospitals Become Support Centres For Domestic Violence Survivors Read More »
How Maternity Leave Policies Discriminate Against Adoptive Mothers And Children
New Delhi: It took nearly a year for Virginia* and her husband to bring home the four siblings they had asked to adopt. The children were …
How Maternity Leave Policies Discriminate Against Adoptive Mothers And Children Read More »
Its Nutrition Schemes In A Mess, Stunting And Wasting Are Rampant Among UP’s Children
Varanasi: A slew of initiatives, some dating back to nearly 50 years, have not succeeded in saving the children of Uttar Pradesh from acute malnourishment, shows …
Its Nutrition Schemes In A Mess, Stunting And Wasting Are Rampant Among UP’s Children Read More »
Delhi Anganwadi Workers To Move Court Against Termination Orders
New Delhi: Delhi’s anganwadi workers (AWW) and helpers (AWH), who ended their 38-day strike on March 9, will move court against the state government order terminating …
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Women With Disabilities Have To Constantly Negotiate Between Isolation And Intrusion
Mumbai: Barely a month before her 12th grade board exams, Kavya Mukhija (now 23) had to take a week’s sick leave from school. She had contracted …
Women With Disabilities Have To Constantly Negotiate Between Isolation And Intrusion Read More »
‘Growing Workload, Still Treated As Volunteers:’ Why Delhi’s Anganwadi Workers Are Protesting
New Delhi: A sea of red flags rises up along Flagstaff Road in north Delhi’s Civil Lines area, just a few metres from the home of …
Why India Needs A Targetted And Gendered Education-Job Policy for AIDS Orphans
Kolkata: Tinni* is all of 15 but she is weighed down by many anxieties about her future. She meticulously lists these in her diary: How will …
Why India Needs A Targetted And Gendered Education-Job Policy for AIDS Orphans Read More »
Grave Hunger Crisis Stares India’s Most Marginalised: Hunger Watch Report
New Delhi: Two years into the pandemic, approximately more than two-thirds of Indian households surveyed across 14 states reported experiencing some kind of food insecurity, according …
Grave Hunger Crisis Stares India’s Most Marginalised: Hunger Watch Report Read More »
Why Manipur’s Women Remain Underrepresented in Electoral Politics
Imphal: Manipur is all set to elect its 12th state legislative assembly as it goes to polls in a 2 phase election, with the electorate voting …
Why Manipur’s Women Remain Underrepresented in Electoral Politics Read More »
Why UP’s Crime Records Fail To Report Full Extent Of Crimes Against Dalit Women
[This article contains descriptions of sexual and physical violence, which might trigger unwelcome and distressing memories or thoughts. We advise readers to use their discretion before …
Why UP’s Crime Records Fail To Report Full Extent Of Crimes Against Dalit Women Read More »
In Tribal UP, School-Girls As Well As Graduates Are Driven To Construction Work
Lakhimpur Kheri/ Shravasti (UP): It is a wintery February morning and a dense fog has descended over Palia, a town 100 km from Lakhimpur town in …
In Tribal UP, School-Girls As Well As Graduates Are Driven To Construction Work Read More »
‘We Live, Work In Filth And Are Treated Like Filth:’ Punjab’s Dalit Women Caught In Cycle Of Bonded Work
Mansa, Punjab: Tej Kaur, a Dalit Sikh , has been cleaning and collecting cow dung for 30 years. Her walk is steady but the strain and struggle of …
Tangled In Red Tape, The Disability ID Card Process Is Steeped With Gender Barriers
Mumbai: Khushi, 18, was elated to get admission to her dream Delhi University college to study English literature. Then, the teen, who was diagnosed with a …
Tangled In Red Tape, The Disability ID Card Process Is Steeped With Gender Barriers Read More »
Budget For Adivasi, Dalit Schemes Is Too Little, Gender-Skewed: Report
New Delhi: Schemes that directly target Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) have not received enough allocations in the Union Budget announced on February 1, …
Budget For Adivasi, Dalit Schemes Is Too Little, Gender-Skewed: Report Read More »
Women, Hit Hardest By Pandemic, Needed A More Dynamic Budget Response
Kolkata: Women have emerged as the single largest category of persons disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The female labour force in January 2022 is 9.4% smaller than …
Women, Hit Hardest By Pandemic, Needed A More Dynamic Budget Response Read More »
A Colonial Vestige, Why Marital Rape Exception Has Become Untenable
NEW DELHI: With the Delhi High Court currently considering petitions on criminialising marital rape in India, it is critical to look at the history, politics and …
A Colonial Vestige, Why Marital Rape Exception Has Become Untenable Read More »
‘We Are Harassed, Beaten’: Adivasi Women Who Demand Forest Land Rights In Gujarat
Mapusa, Goa: “Ye pitai khayi hui auratein hain (These are the women who’ve got beaten up).” That is how we are introduced to Nandaben Nayak, Navliben …
‘We Are Harassed, Beaten’: Adivasi Women Who Demand Forest Land Rights In Gujarat Read More »
Isolated, Bindu Ammini Fights A Lone Battle Against Orthodoxy
Thiruvananthapuram: “Pinnottilla (won’t backtrack)”. That message in Malayalam on Bindu Ammini’s WhatsApp profile summarises her life so far. The 43-year-old Dalit activist and lecturer of law …
Isolated, Bindu Ammini Fights A Lone Battle Against Orthodoxy Read More »
Hijab Ban In Udupi College Points To Growing Communal Fissure
New Delhi: For over three weeks now, eight Muslim students of the Government Pre-University College (PUC) for Girls in Udupi, Karnataka, have been sitting outside their …
Hijab Ban In Udupi College Points To Growing Communal Fissure Read More »
Bulli Bai: How State Inaction Has Emboldened Cyber Harassment Of Muslim Women
[Trigger Warning: This article contains some disturbing accounts of harassment and violence against women,which might trigger unwelcome and distressing memories or thoughts. We advise readers to …
Bulli Bai: How State Inaction Has Emboldened Cyber Harassment Of Muslim Women Read More »
“If something happens to me, Hindutva outfits responsible”: A Dalit Woman Journalist Receives Death Threats
New Delhi: “You will suffer the same fate as Gauri Lankesh,” Meena Kotwal, a Dalit woman journalist and founder of the media platform The Mooknayak ,was …
A young Dalit woman Challenges Patriarchy in Panchayat Politics
For Khublata Regar (31), a Dalit woman, the decision to run for the office of the Sarpanch (president) in the Gram Panchayat elections in Potlan in …
A young Dalit woman Challenges Patriarchy in Panchayat Politics Read More »
Dalit and Adivasi Students’ Futures At Stake As Scholarship Schemes Cut
New Delhi: Sujata Lilaka (21), a final year nursing student at YMT Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital in Kharghar in Panvel district of Maharashtra, collapsed on …
Dalit and Adivasi Students’ Futures At Stake As Scholarship Schemes Cut Read More »
Who Gets To Be A Mother? How Disabled Women Are Absent In The Idea of motherhood
Mumbai: A few weeks ago, Hera* and her toddler stared at the wall in awe. The light that gleamed through the broken glass pieces of the …
Who Gets To Be A Mother? How Disabled Women Are Absent In The Idea of motherhood Read More »
A Dalit women’s collective is fighting for the land it toils on, In Gujarat
Mumbai: Around 400 metres off the Gujarat state highway near Vautha village, along the snake-like curves of the Sabarmati river, lie nearly a hundred acres of …
A Dalit women’s collective is fighting for the land it toils on, In Gujarat Read More »
‘How will you manage?’ How Disabled Women Are Forced Into Surgical Procedures
Bangalore: Nearly a decade ago, Smitha*, who lives with cerebral palsy, underwent a surgery to remove fibroids from her uterus. The doctors, at the time, asked …
‘How will you manage?’ How Disabled Women Are Forced Into Surgical Procedures Read More »
Chhattisgarh Government Is Taking Back Covid Incentives Paid To Mitanins
New Delhi: Usha Sahu, 45, a Mitanin trainer from Bemetara district in central Chhattisgarh was in for a shock when she checked her bank account in …
Chhattisgarh Government Is Taking Back Covid Incentives Paid To Mitanins Read More »
India’s Laws Fail To Uphold Abortion Rights Of Women With Disabilities
Mumbai: Arpita Roy Sengupta was 22 years old when her parents, much against her wishes, arranged her marriage in 2007 with Alok*, a deaf person like her. …
India’s Laws Fail To Uphold Abortion Rights Of Women With Disabilities Read More »
“Young People Should Run The Panchayat Administration”: Story Of A Young Adivasi Woman Leader
For Laxmi Bhil (23), the Bhil Adivasi Sarpanch (President), Kabra Village Council, Bhilwara District, Rajasthan, contesting elections was both taxing and rewarding. A nursing student, Laxmi …
Adivasi Women Bear The Brunt Of Slow Community Forest Rights Approvals In Gujarat
Mapusa, Goa – It has been years since the women of Bilmarh, a village on a small hillock some 25 km from Ahwa, the district headquarters …
Adivasi Women Bear The Brunt Of Slow Community Forest Rights Approvals In Gujarat Read More »
Adivasi Women Of Hasdeo Arand Lead a 300 Km March to Save their Forests
“We will not leave our forests and lands for Adani,” thundered Mayawati, a 65 yr old Adivasi woman from Fattepur village in Surguja district in northern …
Adivasi Women Of Hasdeo Arand Lead a 300 Km March to Save their Forests Read More »
Mid-Day Meal Renamed PM POSHAN: New Name, Reduced Budgets
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN), a …
Mid-Day Meal Renamed PM POSHAN: New Name, Reduced Budgets Read More »
Women Leaders Help In Securing Women’s Land Rights in Gujarat
Geeta Ben Gamit, 42, is a busy woman. The Sarpanch ( village council head) of Bhatpur in Tapi district in South Gujarat was finishing signing papers …
Women Leaders Help In Securing Women’s Land Rights in Gujarat Read More »
Mass Sterilisation Camps Violate Norms And Fail Women’s Health Needs In Chhattisgarh
New Delhi: On August 26th, 2021, Dr Jibnus Ekta performed tubectomies on 101 women in a span of seven hours between 8 PM and 3 AM, …
Mass Sterilisation Camps Violate Norms And Fail Women’s Health Needs In Chhattisgarh Read More »
Government Data Shows Inconsistencies In Covid Lockdown Payments To Women
New Delhi: On 26th March 2020, the Union Finance Ministry announced a Rs 1.70 Lakh Crore COVID-19 relief package under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana …
Government Data Shows Inconsistencies In Covid Lockdown Payments To Women Read More »
Dalit Women Wait To Till Their Lands In Gujarat
Ahmedabad: “We were happy — we wouldn’t have to work in others’ fields anymore. We were going to be farmers,” says Daksha Ben Babu Bhai Parmar, …
How Kerala is A Long Way Off In Gender Affirmative Healthcare For Trans Persons
Thiruvananthapuram: Anuradha Govindan of Kannur, 38, waited for thirty years to embrace her identity as a transwoman. Before she was able to live the life she …
How Kerala is A Long Way Off In Gender Affirmative Healthcare For Trans Persons Read More »
In Their Fight For Light Rights, Gujarat’s Women Face Long Battles
Mumbai: Kanchan Kolipatel is a threat. It may not be apparent from her short build, soft voice or sorrowful brown eyes. For some members of her family …
In Their Fight For Light Rights, Gujarat’s Women Face Long Battles Read More »
How IIT Guwahati Fostered A Culture of Impunity To Sexual Offences
[Trigger Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual and physical violence,which might trigger unwelcome and distressing memories or thoughts. We advise readers to use their discretion …
How IIT Guwahati Fostered A Culture of Impunity To Sexual Offences Read More »
Women May Own Land In Gujarat But Men Control It
Shankuben Rabari insists she is 40 years old.She has grey hair, a deeply wrinkled face and arms dotted with the green tattoos distinctive to elderly women …
Women May Own Land In Gujarat But Men Control It Read More »
Women Own Forested Land In Gujarat But Not Its Wealth
New Delhi: Mangla Hira Ji Thakre (45) and her family are sprawled around the television for their post-dinner ritual of watching a hit soap opera. “Arey, …
Women Own Forested Land In Gujarat But Not Its Wealth Read More »
Cyber Crimes On the Rise Against Women in Jammu and Kashmir
Srinagar: Farah Zaidi, a social activist from Kulgam district in North Kashmir was trolled online by men after her interview was published online where she talked …
Cyber Crimes On the Rise Against Women in Jammu and Kashmir Read More »
Why the UP Population Bill Harms Women And Marginalised Populations
New Delhi: On July 11th, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, announced the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilisation and Welfare) Bill as part of the …
Why the UP Population Bill Harms Women And Marginalised Populations Read More »
How Organic Promotion Policies End Up Excluding Women Farmers In Gujarat
New Delhi: On May 14, 2021, while encouraging farmers to take up organic farming as he released the 8th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri- Kisan Samman …
How Organic Promotion Policies End Up Excluding Women Farmers In Gujarat Read More »
Central Government Disbands Scheme For Dalit And Adivasi Girls’ Education
The Union government has discontinued the National Scheme for Incentive to Girl Child for Secondary Education (NSIGSE) a central government scheme aimed to incentivise education among …
Central Government Disbands Scheme For Dalit And Adivasi Girls’ Education Read More »
Dams Displaced And Changed Women’s Lives In Gujarat
New Delhi: If it were not for the pandemic, Raju Ben Vasava’s grandchildren would be at school. But, schools are shut, and Raju Ben, 55, is …
Dams Displaced And Changed Women’s Lives In Gujarat Read More »
Sulli Deals: Online Platforms Fuel Cyber Sexual Violence Against Muslim Women
New Delhi: Shaikh Tabinda received a message from her friend, on the night of 4 July, which read that she had been ‘sold’ in an online …
Sulli Deals: Online Platforms Fuel Cyber Sexual Violence Against Muslim Women Read More »
Women Yet To Cross Gender Barriers In India’s Agricultural Markets
Ahmedabad: Lassu Ben, 38, is an outspoken and resolute woman but even she sometimes hesitates to trade with the men at the local farm market. ‘Bahas …
Women Yet To Cross Gender Barriers In India’s Agricultural Markets Read More »
Underpaid ASHA Workers Tackle Covid and Vaccine Hesitancy In Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir: Khalida Akhter (36), an ASHA worker from Sheeri village in Baramulla district in North Kashmir, died of Covid-19 in May this year. An …
Underpaid ASHA Workers Tackle Covid and Vaccine Hesitancy In Kashmir Read More »
How Garment Factories Forced Illegal Resignations Of Women Workers In Karnataka
Photo Courtesy: perfectsourcing.net
Despite NALSA, Transgender Persons Absent In Government Policies In West Bengal
Silk (28), a transwoman, was in for a shock as she went to cast her vote in Kalyani, in Nadia district of West Bengal in mid-April …
Despite NALSA, Transgender Persons Absent In Government Policies In West Bengal Read More »
Women’s Political Representation In Assam Slips To Its Lowest In 20 Years
Gauhati:Fewer women will now occupy seats in the newly elected Vidhan Sabha (state legislative assembly) in Assam in 2021. Six women were elected in the recently …
Women’s Political Representation In Assam Slips To Its Lowest In 20 Years Read More »
Mamata Banerjee’s Schemes For Adolescent Girls Bear Fruit But Challenges Remain
Kolkata: “I am determined to go for higher studies. Once I get my Kanyashree money, I will use it to go to college,” says Jahira Khatun. Khatun …
Mamata Banerjee’s Schemes For Adolescent Girls Bear Fruit But Challenges Remain Read More »
From ‘Didi’ to ‘Banglar Nijer Meye’: The Rebranding of Mamata Banerjee
Kolkata : ‘I will win Bengal on one leg and in the future, will get victory in Delhi on two legs’, thundered Mamata Banerjee, the current …
From ‘Didi’ to ‘Banglar Nijer Meye’: The Rebranding of Mamata Banerjee Read More »
“We Will Ask For Our Rights In Parliament”: M. Radha, Trans Candidate In Tamil Nadu polls
For M Radha (53), the transgender contestant and her team of fellow trans campaigners, election season meant spending hours in campaigning door to door, distributing pamphlets …
In Poll-Bound Tamil Nadu, Labour Rights Of Women Workers Flouted
Chennai: S. Rathinam (39) had escaped death by a whisker that afternoon. On February 13, 2021, she, along with hundreds of others, had to run for …
In Poll-Bound Tamil Nadu, Labour Rights Of Women Workers Flouted Read More »
“It Is Imperative To Speak Up For Every Political Prisoner”: Labour Rights Activist Nodeep Kaur
“We need new solidarity between farmers and the working class”, asserts Nodeep Kaur. The 24 year old Dalit labour rights activist was in news recently after …
Poor Wages, No Social Security Hurt Women Beedi Workers
“I have been rolling beedis since I was fifteen. Our whole community is dependent on the profession. Our employers underpay us, our pension never arrives without …
Poor Wages, No Social Security Hurt Women Beedi Workers Read More »
Transgender Persons Invisible In India’s Prisons
Transgender persons in India’s prison systems remain invisible among all the vulnerable groups, with their rights and dignity as citizens denied, according to a new report …
Transgender Persons Invisible In India’s Prisons Read More »
How Women Farmers in Punjab Mobilised Against The Farm Laws
“These capitalists will ruin us,” thundered Charanjeet Kaur, a thirty nine year old farmer with a medium landholding of 12 acres (4 hectares) from Wara Bhaika …
How Women Farmers in Punjab Mobilised Against The Farm Laws Read More »
Menstrual Interventions Vary Across Countries; Still A Long Way To Go
As India announced one of the harshest lockdowns in the world, among the many groups that remained invisible in the government policy announcements were menstruating persons. …
Menstrual Interventions Vary Across Countries; Still A Long Way To Go Read More »
How Police And Justice System Fails Survivors of Sexual Violence In Uttar Pradesh
“Tum gareeb ho, tum rehne do. Waise bhi tum jhoota case likha rahi ho toh case nahi likha jayega” (You are poor, so you shouldn’t pursue …
How Police And Justice System Fails Survivors of Sexual Violence In Uttar Pradesh Read More »
Cost Of Sugar: Women Cane Cutters In Maharashtra
Neeta (name changed), a cane cutter in one of the many sugarcane farms in Beed district of central Maharashtra, was only in her early 30s when …
Cost Of Sugar: Women Cane Cutters In Maharashtra Read More »
How Farm Acts Affect Women In Agriculture
On 27 September 2020, three Farm Bills became law after receiving presidential assent. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill …
Adivasi Women Claim Power In Local Elections
Badami Bai (32), had a problem on her hands, just a week before the Panchayat (India’s directly elected village councils) elections in India’s western state of …
Bihar’s Gender Budget Fails To Bridge Gender Gap
Gender gaps in Bihar are glaring. Nearly half (46%) of women in Bihar are illiterate, increasing their chances of being married early, found a new report …
Bihar’s Gender Budget Fails To Bridge Gender Gap Read More »
ASHA Workers Criminalised For Fighting For Their Rights
India’s frontline women health workers, or ASHAs, play a critical role in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. But when they demanded better pay, protective gear and fixed …
ASHA Workers Criminalised For Fighting For Their Rights Read More »
Adivasi Women In Rajasthan’s Zawar Mines Reclaim Their Rights
Lakshmi Devi (56), a Bhil Adivasi woman from Kanpur village in Udaipur district in Rajasthan has not been able to harvest a single grain from the …
Adivasi Women In Rajasthan’s Zawar Mines Reclaim Their Rights Read More »
Concerns of Raising The Age Of Marriage
In February 2020, the Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new proposal to raise the legal age of marriage from 18 to 21. A …
First African-Pakistani Lawmaker Fights To Claim Power
Tanzeela Qambrani (41) created history in Pakistan when she became the first Sheedi Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) of Sindh Assembly in 2018. Her election to …
First African-Pakistani Lawmaker Fights To Claim Power Read More »
Women Criminalised For Protecting Spiti Valley
For the past 6 months, Sonam Dolma (29) along with 15 women, has stood guard at the entrance gate everyday in Kaza town- the gateway to …
Dalit And Adivasi Women Leaders Secure Community Rights
Surta Bairwa (33), the former Dalit Sarpanch of Srirampura Panchayat in Rajasthan’s Tonk district had enough of the centuries old dominance of the upper caste Gurjars. …
Dalit And Adivasi Women Leaders Secure Community Rights Read More »
“I Am The Education Minister Of Maharashtra Because Of Savitribai Phule”
For Varsha Eknath Gaikwad (45), Dharavi in Mumbai is much more than a constituency. She calls it home. The 4 time Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) …
“I Am The Education Minister Of Maharashtra Because Of Savitribai Phule” Read More »
The Afghan MP Who Is Not Shaken By The Strong Winds
Fawzia Koofi (45), the Member of Parliament from Afghanistan, has survived several assassination attempts by the Taliban. “The Taliban dislike women holding such powerful positions in …
The Afghan MP Who Is Not Shaken By The Strong Winds Read More »
The Afghan MP Negotiating Peace With The Taliban
Fawzia Koofi (45), the Member of Parliament from Afghanistan, has survived several assassination attempts by the Taliban. “The Taliban dislike women holding such powerful positions in …
The Afghan MP Negotiating Peace With The Taliban Read More »
“Women in Sri Lanka Need to Change The Masculine, Toxic Political Space”: Dr. Harini Amarasuriya
Sri Lanka is all set to elect its ninth Parliament on 5 August 2020. According to officials, 7,452 candidates, 70 parties and 313 independent groups are …
How the Government Diluted Forest Rights Of Adivasis during Lockdown
Policy decisions for forest diversion during the COVID19 lockdown which potentially dilute the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA) and undermine the decision-making authority of the Gram …
How the Government Diluted Forest Rights Of Adivasis during Lockdown Read More »
Garment Workers Take On Global Clothing Giant
For over a month now, over 600 women garment workers have been sitting in protest against the illegal layoffs in the factory premises of the ECC …
We Fought For Our Right To Our Land With A FistFul Of Rice
Anna Kujur (53) is a fearless Adivasi leader from the Sundergarh district of Odisha. Sundergarh is a predominantly tribal district in north-west Odisha where over half …
We Fought For Our Right To Our Land With A FistFul Of Rice Read More »
COVID-19 : Adivasi and Forest Dwelling Women Face The Brunt
Socio-cultural values and norms have traditionally excluded women from participation in community decision making fora and denied them equal inheritance and property rights, both under formal …
COVID-19 : Adivasi and Forest Dwelling Women Face The Brunt Read More »
COVID-19 : Adivasi and Forest Dwelling Women Face The Brunt
Socio-cultural values and norms have traditionally excluded women from participation in community decision making fora and denied them equal inheritance and property rights, both under formal …
COVID-19 : Adivasi and Forest Dwelling Women Face The Brunt Read More »
ASHAs Within the ‘Kerala Model’ Lead Covid-19 Response, Get Little in Return
Our 16-state survey found that in Kerala, ASHAs, women health workers at the frontlines of India’s resistance to Covid-19, feel empowered and respected. Yet, their demands …
ASHAs Within the ‘Kerala Model’ Lead Covid-19 Response, Get Little in Return Read More »
Promised, Mostly Never Paid: Rs 1,000 Covid Wage To Million Health Workers
Hyderabad: Minara Begum, 33, has reached breaking point. “If the government of Assam does not release my salary today, my kids will starve,” said the mother …
Promised, Mostly Never Paid: Rs 1,000 Covid Wage To Million Health Workers Read More »
Anger, Distress Among India’s Frontline Workers In Fight Against Covid-19
Without them, It would be impossible to track, test and monitor Covid-19 patients across India’s villages and cities. But over a million women health workers must …
Anger, Distress Among India’s Frontline Workers In Fight Against Covid-19 Read More »
Women From The Bedia Community In Morena (MP) Suffer Disproportionately As Their Work Halts
The duration of lockdown has proven difficult for everyone, but it has been more challenging for those who belong to the marginalized sections of the society, …
A “Resilience Fund” by women in coastal Odisha is Helping Them Cope With COVID-19: Story of Women of Penthakata Urban Slum in Puri
Satyavathi (48) has borne the brunt of disasters before and knows the heavy toll it takes on the lives and livelihoods of families. On 3 May …
COVID-19: Intra-State Migrants Marooned Too
Peddapalem (Guntur district), Andhra Pradesh: Thousands of families of intra-state migrants are stranded on the margins of Guntur’s world-renowned chilli farms, scrambling to live on a meagre …
Why A Feminist Engagment With Constitution Is Necessary
Seventy years ago, on 26th January 1950, India’s constitution came into force. The constituent assembly which started its debates on 9th December 1946, took 2 years …
Why A Feminist Engagment With Constitution Is Necessary Read More »
NRC-CAA : More Legal Feet required on the Ground
India is seeing a massive countrywide resistance against discriminatory citizenship measures and women are leading it. Women across states have been resisting on the streets, inside …
NRC-CAA : More Legal Feet required on the Ground Read More »
Why are Politically Inactive Students Like Me On The Streets?
Debsmita Chaudhury (24) has no regrets. On the contrary, she is quite proud of herself for using the most important platform of her life to stage …
Why are Politically Inactive Students Like Me On The Streets? Read More »
“Women Of AMU Will Keep The Resistance Alive” Tazeen Junaid
Tazeen Junaid (18) believes she has a duty to keep the resistance against the discriminatory and exclusionary citizenship laws alive in Aligarh Muslim University. On 15th …
“Women Of AMU Will Keep The Resistance Alive” Tazeen Junaid Read More »
Women of Shaheen Bagh Are Fighting For The Soul of this Country
Saima Khan (33) is heartbroken and angry. “ I cannot explain in words my pain when I am asked as a Muslim to prove my citizenship …
Women of Shaheen Bagh Are Fighting For The Soul of this Country Read More »
Where Are The Equal Rights For Adivasi Women?
For Bitiya Murmu (40), a Santhal Adivasi woman leader in Jharkhand, personal has become political. For the last ten years, she has been fighting a long …
Krishnaveni’s Story And The Era Of Women Panchayat Presidents
Thalaiyuthu panchayat, Tirunelveli district (Tamil Nadu): P Krishnaveni remembers the night of 13 June, 2011, clear as day. Barely 200 m from her home of 15 …
Krishnaveni’s Story And The Era Of Women Panchayat Presidents Read More »
First Time Adivasi MP Hopes To Be The Voice Of People
Goddeti Madhavi (26), the first time Member of Parliament (MP) from Araku in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) knows the trust that her constituents …
First Time Adivasi MP Hopes To Be The Voice Of People Read More »
The Triumph Of Sharmila Devi And Tamil Nadu’s Women Leaders
Thirumanvayal Panchayat, Sivagangai District (Tamil Nadu): Sharmila Devi (39), the youngest dalit sarpanch of Thirumanvayal panchayat in southern Tamil Nadu’s Sivagangai district, has pulled off what none …
The Triumph Of Sharmila Devi And Tamil Nadu’s Women Leaders Read More »
Meagre Funds, No Salary: How Tamil Nadu’s Women Leaders Still Succeed
Nachangulam Panchayat, Sivagangai district (Tamil Nadu): What is it like to do a full-time job without a salary? Especially if you are a dalit or an adivasi …
Meagre Funds, No Salary: How Tamil Nadu’s Women Leaders Still Succeed Read More »
Why Muthukanni, A Dalit, Had To Build Her Own Panchayat Office
Madhavakurichi Panchayat, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu: It wasn’t personal ambition that drove K Muthukanni to stand for election as panchayat president from Madhavakurichi in Mannur block of …
Why Muthukanni, A Dalit, Had To Build Her Own Panchayat Office Read More »
Tamil Nadu’s Women Leaders Live, Work In The Shadow Of Violence
Urapakkam (Kancheepuram district), Tamil Nadu: Even by normal standards of violence in Tamil Nadu’s panchayat politics, the events of March 29, 2001, were troubling. Menaka, 35, the …
Tamil Nadu’s Women Leaders Live, Work In The Shadow Of Violence Read More »
Why 277,160 Women Leaders Remain Invisible To Tamil Nadu’s Political Parties
Chennai: Salma (50), the deputy secretary of the women’s wing of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), is among the few women to have made the transition from …
Why 277,160 Women Leaders Remain Invisible To Tamil Nadu’s Political Parties Read More »
Why Ashubi Khan’s Pioneering Run Ends Today
Mewat (Haryana): Ashubi Khan, 51, is distraught. A decade of trailblazing work done by this tall, soft-spoken sarpanch (village chief) and her team of seven illiterate women–and three literate …
Women MP Track: Weekly Updates
This Week in Parliament: 8th-12th July 2019 Women MPs in Lok Sabha this Week Asked 20% of all Oral Questions 15% of written questions 7% of speakers during Matters Under 377 14% of …
Women MP Track: Daily Updates
Women MP Track 8th-9th July 2019 Highlights Women MPs in Lok Sabha asked 20% of Oral Questions 17% of Written Questions 17% of Zero Hour Speakers 7% of MPs who raised …
When I step into the Parliament, I carry the voices of 10 lakh people of Araku: Madhavi Goddeti
Madhavi Goddeti may be a first time Member of Parliament (MP) in the newly elected Lok Sabha but she is no stranger to politics. The 26 …
Illiterate, Married at 11, Mother At 12: Panchayat President Now Changes Fates
Padiganalam, Krishnagiri district (Tamil Nadu): Married against her wishes at 11 to her dead sister’s husband, Sidhamallamma Kanchappa gave birth to her first child at home when …
Illiterate, Married at 11, Mother At 12: Panchayat President Now Changes Fates Read More »
In A Sylvan Valley, One Woman Reveals, Changes Lives Obscured By Beauty
Sittilinghi, Dharmapuri district (Tamil Nadu): Nestled in a sylvan valley in northwestern Tamil Nadu and surrounded by forests, the village council, or panchayat, of Sittilinghi struggled to …
In A Sylvan Valley, One Woman Reveals, Changes Lives Obscured By Beauty Read More »
The Woman Who Brought Drinking Water, Toilets To A Lost Panchayat
Melamarungoor, Sivagangai district (Tamil Nadu): Mazharkodi Dhanasekar has a radiant smile and is keen to talk about her achievements, which, as it emerges, are considerable: Building 650 …
The Woman Who Brought Drinking Water, Toilets To A Lost Panchayat Read More »
In Bihar’s Political Realignment, Women Suffer
As a first-time member of the legislative assembly (MLA) in Bihar, Jyothi Devi, 46, did well over her five-year term: She had 10 bridges—some of which were demanded …
States With Worst Sex Ratios Have Most Female MLAs
States with poor development indicators for women (mainly sex ratio and female literacy) have higher representation of women in their vidhan sabhas (legislative assemblies) according to an analysis …
States With Worst Sex Ratios Have Most Female MLAs Read More »
From Proxies To Politicians: Bihar’s Female MLAs
Thirty five years ago, Bhagirathi Devi was a sweeper in the block development office in Narkatiyaganj, a town in Bihar’s West Champaran district. Today, she is a third-term …
From Proxies To Politicians: Bihar’s Female MLAs Read More »
Insistence On Digital ID Limits Access To Abortion In India, Raises Privacy Concerns
New Delhi: The insistence on furnishing a digital identity proof, especially Aadhaar, at healthcare facilities not only limits women’s access to abortions, which is highly stigmatised …
Insistence On Digital ID Limits Access To Abortion In India, Raises Privacy Concerns Read More »
Abortion Is Legal In India But Rules, Stigma Make It Hard To Access
Mumbai: At 25, and into the fourth year of an abusive marriage, N*, discovered that she was eight weeks into an unwanted pregnancy. She approached a …
Abortion Is Legal In India But Rules, Stigma Make It Hard To Access Read More »
Why India Is Struggling With The Burden Of Teen Pregnancies
New Delhi: The pandemic may have undone decades of work in controlling teen pregnancies, shows a Behanbox analysis: at least 7% of all women aged 15-19 …
Why India Is Struggling With The Burden Of Teen Pregnancies Read More »
How The Climate Crisis Is Driving Sex Trafficking In Arid Rayalaseema
Kadiri (Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh): The livelihood crisis created by scorching summers, failed monsoons and frequent droughts in the arid Rayalaseema region of southwestern Andhra Pradesh …
How The Climate Crisis Is Driving Sex Trafficking In Arid Rayalaseema Read More »
How Delays In Victim Compensation Fund Fail Trafficking Survivors
New Delhi: The Calcutta High Court has ordered the Government of West Bengal to ensure adequate funds with the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) to disburse …
How Delays In Victim Compensation Fund Fail Trafficking Survivors Read More »
‘We Live, Work In Filth And Are Treated Like Filth:’ Punjab’s Dalit Women Caught In Cycle Of Bonded Work
Mansa, Punjab: Tej Kaur, a Dalit Sikh , has been cleaning and collecting cow dung for 30 years. Her walk is steady but the strain and struggle of …
Why Climate Impact On Tea Yield Is Making Women Workers Sick
Darjeeling: From skin inflammation and blurred vision to respiratory and digestive disorders, women workers in Darjeeling’s tea plantations are struggling with an array of health issues …
Why Climate Impact On Tea Yield Is Making Women Workers Sick Read More »
Livelihoods Lost, Jahangirpuri’s Muslim Women Struggle With Economic & Emotional Precarity
New Delhi: On the morning of April 20, Raheema Begum* watched as her family’s only source of livelihood, a cold drink kiosk, was reduced to rubble …
How Indian Laws Patronise Working Women, Limit Job Opportunities
New Delhi: Leela had been a binding assistant at the Kerala Books and Publications Society, a state-owned textbook publishing house, for 19 years when she was …
How Indian Laws Patronise Working Women, Limit Job Opportunities Read More »
Why Credit Coops Outdo Banks In Alleviating Financial Distress Of Informal Workers
New Delhi: Inclusive financial networks such as credit cooperatives are more effective than traditional financial institutions in relieving the financial distress of women whose lives and …
Why Credit Coops Outdo Banks In Alleviating Financial Distress Of Informal Workers Read More »
Adivasi Women Bear The Brunt Of Slow Community Forest Rights Approvals In Gujarat
Mapusa, Goa – It has been years since the women of Bilmarh, a village on a small hillock some 25 km from Ahwa, the district headquarters …
Adivasi Women Bear The Brunt Of Slow Community Forest Rights Approvals In Gujarat Read More »
Intersectionality, The Missing Link In The Women’s Reservation Bill
Intersectionality has long been ignored in India’s mainstream feminist movement as a critical issue
A Colonial Vestige, Why Marital Rape Exception Has Become Untenable
NEW DELHI: With the Delhi High Court currently considering petitions on criminialising marital rape in India, it is critical to look at the history, politics and …
A Colonial Vestige, Why Marital Rape Exception Has Become Untenable Read More »
Why Delhi’s Sex Ratio Ranks Among The Worst In India
New Delhi: The sex ratio of the National Capital Territory of Delhi has been consistently skewed over three decades, shows a BehanBox analysis. The reason for …
Why Delhi’s Sex Ratio Ranks Among The Worst In India Read More »
As LPG Prices Soar, Women Return To Toxic Traditional Stoves
A 51.7% rise in the price of LPG refills between January 2021 and July 2022 has forced women from low-incomes homes to minimise the use of gas stoves
How India’s Falling Maternal Death Rate Masks Acute Regional, Social Disparities
New Delhi: The steady fall in India’s maternal mortality rate over the last two decades glosses over significant variations between states, districts and social groups, show …
How India’s Falling Maternal Death Rate Masks Acute Regional, Social Disparities Read More »
‘We Rarely Connect The Social Worlds Of Migrant Women Workers’
‘Mobile Girls Koottam: Working Women Speak’, released in 2021, documents the real-life conversations between gender and labour rights scholar Madhumita Dutta, radio podcaster Samyuktha PC and …
‘We Rarely Connect The Social Worlds Of Migrant Women Workers’ Read More »
How Indian Laws Patronise Working Women, Limit Job Opportunities
New Delhi: Leela had been a binding assistant at the Kerala Books and Publications Society, a state-owned textbook publishing house, for 19 years when she was …
How Indian Laws Patronise Working Women, Limit Job Opportunities Read More »
How Maternity Leave Policies Discriminate Against Adoptive Mothers And Children
New Delhi: It took nearly a year for Virginia* and her husband to bring home the four siblings they had asked to adopt. The children were …
How Maternity Leave Policies Discriminate Against Adoptive Mothers And Children Read More »
Mid-Day Meal Renamed PM POSHAN: New Name, Reduced Budgets
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN), a …
Mid-Day Meal Renamed PM POSHAN: New Name, Reduced Budgets Read More »
Why the UP Population Bill Harms Women And Marginalised Populations
New Delhi: On July 11th, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, announced the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilisation and Welfare) Bill as part of the …
Why the UP Population Bill Harms Women And Marginalised Populations Read More »
Navigating Statelessness: How Laws Fail Bangladeshi Trafficking Survivors In India
Kolkata/New Delhi: Nafeesa Bibi* (36) was 16 when she left her home in a Bangladesh village and swam across the Ichhamati river into Bongaon in the …
Navigating Statelessness: How Laws Fail Bangladeshi Trafficking Survivors In India Read More »
Why Society Needs To Reimagine Care Work, Support We Cannot Do Without
Currently, India’s legal structure shows little respect for care work of any kind
How Laws Founded On Ideas Of Honour, Purity Have Devastating Effect On Right To Choice
New Delhi: On December 13, 2022 the government of Maharashtra declared the establishment of a 13-member committee to ‘track’ inter-religious marriages. As per the resolution, this …
How Laws Founded On Ideas Of Honour, Purity Have Devastating Effect On Right To Choice Read More »
How The Two-Finger Test Perpetuates Rape Myths Centred Around ‘Honour’
Trigger Warning: This piece contains mentions of sexual violence which may be triggering for readers. New Delhi: On October 31, 2022 the Supreme Court of India once …
How The Two-Finger Test Perpetuates Rape Myths Centred Around ‘Honour’ Read More »
Why Forced Restitution Of Conjugal Rights Defies Ideas of Liberty, Equality
New Delhi: In June 1885, a 21-year-old woman, calling herself ‘Hindu Lady’, wrote two letters to The Times of India attacking the ‘wicked institutions’ of infant …
Why Forced Restitution Of Conjugal Rights Defies Ideas of Liberty, Equality Read More »
Three Lessons On Equality From Supreme Court’s Hijab Verdict
NEW DELHI:On October 13, the Supreme Court of India passed its judgement on the hijab ban in educational institutions imposed by the Karnataka Government. The two-judge …
Three Lessons On Equality From Supreme Court’s Hijab Verdict Read More »
India’s Workplace Harassment Law Has Failed Informal, Marginalised Workers
New Delhi: India’s law on sexual harassment at work has failed to account for the experiences of informal sector working women, most of who are from …
India’s Workplace Harassment Law Has Failed Informal, Marginalised Workers Read More »
Dams Displaced And Changed Women’s Lives In Gujarat
New Delhi: If it were not for the pandemic, Raju Ben Vasava’s grandchildren would be at school. But, schools are shut, and Raju Ben, 55, is …
Dams Displaced And Changed Women’s Lives In Gujarat Read More »
Adivasi Women Of Hasdeo Arand Lead a 300 Km March to Save their Forests
“We will not leave our forests and lands for Adani,” thundered Mayawati, a 65 yr old Adivasi woman from Fattepur village in Surguja district in northern …
Adivasi Women Of Hasdeo Arand Lead a 300 Km March to Save their Forests Read More »
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.
Why Society Needs To Reimagine Care Work, Support We Cannot Do Without
Currently, India’s legal structure shows little respect for care work of any kind
Why Focus Must Shift From What Restricts Women’s Employment To What Works For Them
NEW DELHI: As a young PhD student just embarking on research, I was very certain that I wanted to contribute to the field of education economics. …
Why Focus Must Shift From What Restricts Women’s Employment To What Works For Them Read More »
Placing Work, Mapping Places — Stories of Raghubir Nagar’s women informal workers
In India’s cheapest second-hand clothes market, women have to reclaim public spaces to assert their right to livelihood constantly
How many women work in India’s factories?
Of the millions of workers who worked in India’s factories in 2019-20, less than a fifth were women. This share has remained largely unchanged for over two decades
Illusion Of Freedom Vs Tyranny Of Gig Work: The Dilemma Of Urban Co’s ‘Partners’
There are rising tensions between the aspirations of thousands of workers and the work structure of the gig economy
Inflation-Hit, Women Demand Better Wages, More Workdays Under Rural Jobs Scheme
New Delhi: As August rains swept Delhi, more than 500 workers, mostly women, gathered around the Jantar Mantar monument to protest delayed wages, reduced workdays and …
Inflation-Hit, Women Demand Better Wages, More Workdays Under Rural Jobs Scheme Read More »
In Tribal UP, School-Girls As Well As Graduates Are Driven To Construction Work
Lakhimpur Kheri/ Shravasti (UP): It is a wintery February morning and a dense fog has descended over Palia, a town 100 km from Lakhimpur town in …
In Tribal UP, School-Girls As Well As Graduates Are Driven To Construction Work Read More »
‘Untouchable’ After Birth, Uttarakhand’s New Mothers Are Left In Stressful Isolation
At a time when women urgently need rest, support and monitoring, ritual segregation can be dangerous
Hijab Ban In Udupi College Points To Growing Communal Fissure
New Delhi: For over three weeks now, eight Muslim students of the Government Pre-University College (PUC) for Girls in Udupi, Karnataka, have been sitting outside their …
Hijab Ban In Udupi College Points To Growing Communal Fissure Read More »
Isolated, Bindu Ammini Fights A Lone Battle Against Orthodoxy
Thiruvananthapuram: “Pinnottilla (won’t backtrack)”. That message in Malayalam on Bindu Ammini’s WhatsApp profile summarises her life so far. The 43-year-old Dalit activist and lecturer of law …
Isolated, Bindu Ammini Fights A Lone Battle Against Orthodoxy Read More »
