Why ‘Obscenity’ Case Against Kolhapur Dancers Is Policing Women’s Bodies

Four dancers have been booked and 21 have been virtually banned over accusations of ‘obscenity’. Despite court rulings, obscenity laws continue to police women’s bodies


Why Instant And Populist Anti-Rape Laws Will Fail To Deliver Justice

Fueled by public demands for quick justice, and pushed through hastily with no effort at addressing systemic issues, these laws cannot bring real change, say experts


Why Repealing Assam Muslim Marriage Act May Do Little To Empower Women

It will not curb child marriage but may complicate registrations, say experts


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


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


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


How Laws Founded On Ideas Of Honour, Purity Have Devastating Effect On Right To Choice

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 ‘interfaith marriage […]


Why Forced Restitution Of Conjugal Rights Defies Ideas of Liberty, Equality

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 marriage and […]


Three Lessons On Equality From Supreme Court’s Hijab Verdict

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 bench […]


India’s Workplace Harassment Law Has Failed Informal, Marginalised Workers

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 marginalised communities […]


Why Surrogates Are Still Passive Deliverers Of Service, With Few Rights

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 physical protection, […]


Why Courts Must Stop Fixating On The ‘Modesty’ Of Survivors Of Sexual Violence

The use of the archaic idea of feminine “modesty” in the interpretation of the penal laws on sexual violence is regressive because it undermines the violation […]


Explainer: Patriarchal Rules Continue To Decide Parenthood In Official Documents

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 mother as […]


Fact Check: Why Fears That SC Observation Will Widen Gender Pay Gap Are Baseless

The apex court observed recently that a government employee cannot demand pay parity only on grounds of similarity in designation and quantum of work. The bench, […]


SC Order Grants Dignity To Sex Work But It Is Far From Being Decriminalised

The recent Supreme Court directives on guaranteeing sex workers dignity and constitutional freedoms still leaves some critical problem areas unaddressed and these can only be resolved […]


A Colonial Vestige, Why Marital Rape Exception Has Become Untenable

With the Delhi High Court currently considering petitions on criminialising marital rape in India, it is critical to look at the history, politics and ideology of […]


Why the UP Population Bill Harms Women And Marginalised Populations

On July 11th, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, announced the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilisation and Welfare) Bill as part of the state’s population […]


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 […]


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 […]


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 […]