WOMEN | | Citizen Matters

Pandemic epiphany: Why unpaid domestic work shouldn’t be the woman’s burden only

May 27, 2020 Viswanathan Sridhar

The pandemic has led many men to recognise the unpaid labour that women undertake to run a household. Here’s a take on why the unequal distribution of work must end.

INTERVIEW: How does one fight domestic abuse during a lockdown?

May 13, 2020 Deepa Vaishnavi V M

Epidemics and confinement typically lead to escalation of domestic violence. COVID-19 has been no different. How can women seek redress?

Getting to the roots of domestic violence and how to seek help during the lockdown

April 20, 2020 Deepa Vaishnavi V M

The coronavirus lockdown has led to a sharp rise in instances of domestic abuse across India. What is the reason for such a spike in cases and how can the sufferer seek help in these difficult times? We spoke to Dr Lata Hemchand to understand the problem through a psychologist’s lens.

#SheInspiresUs: The seven women who spread hope through the PM’s Twitter handle

March 10, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

On Women’s Day this year, when our PM signed off from his social media accounts for the day, what we saw by way of tweets from @narendramodi were messages and tales of seven exceptional women, who spoke of their passion and work. Who were they?

Society

“My rights need to be stronger than a woman’s”

March 8, 2020 Manasi Paresh Kumar

The idea of an equal world for men and women is still Utopian, but there are some strides made every day. But for trans women, a world with equal rights is an even more distant reality. On International Women’s Day, as we discuss equality for all, a chat with Bengaluru’s Sumangali Balakrishna and her fight for rights as a trans woman.

How graffiti art is paving the way for women empowerment and social change

February 21, 2020 Jahanvi J

Missing the safety of studios, graffiti involves scaling tall buildings, working long nights, and often secretly, with the risk of getting caught by cops. Nevertheless, using graffiti as a tool of protest, female artists in our cities are breaking stereotypes.

Privacy: The missing link in the discourse on sexual harassment

January 24, 2020 Ashok G V

Explicit jokes, sly innuendos or gender-specific insults — do these really amount to sexual harassment? Should employers adjudicate on such cases as such? To understand why and when, one needs to understand the concept of privacy in all its facets. A lawyer explains.

Op-ed: A few simple steps towards designing safer public spaces for women

January 20, 2020 Suchitra Deep

For too long, we have lived in and accepted cities built by men, for men. But as more and more women need and want access to public spaces within their cities, we need paradigm shifts in design to make these safer for them. Here are some simple first steps.

Helping boys and men become change agents in the gender equality movement

January 20, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

Continuing our special series on women’s safety, we present a list of NGOs and initiatives that are working towards sensitising boys and men on gender issues. Using resources, toolkits, workshops and lectures, they enable men to play key roles in preventing violence and discrimination against women.

HawkEye, Bharosa, transit dorms and more: Women’s safety initiatives from Telangana police

January 18, 2020 Kolla Krishna Madhavi

In this interview, Swati Lakra, IPS, IGP Law and Order and In charge of the Women’s Safety Wing of the state, talks about the various steps the police have taken to help women in distress. Continuing our special series on women’s safety

How have Indian states put the ‘Nirbhaya Funds’ to use?

January 17, 2020 News Desk

The Nirbhaya Fund was introduced in the Union Budget 2013, with a view to ensuring that states could take adequate measures towards the creation of a more secure environment for women in the long term. But have states utilised this? In continuation of our special series on women’s safety

Why ‘Fast Track Courts’ have been slow to ensure justice for women and children

January 16, 2020 Bindu Gopal Rao

The main intent behind the setting up of Fast Track Courts was to speed up trials and decide cases relating to serious crimes, especially against women and children. In most states, however, these have failed to achieve anything. A look at the reasons behind such failure.

Op-ed: Gender safety starts when we look beyond statistics and cases

January 15, 2020 Kirthi Jayakumar

Gender-based violence is as old as the hills. To change something that is so deeply embedded in our thinking, we need to respond, rather than react. Awareness and introspection are the keys to changing mindsets and culture.

Have cities really made it easier for women to report crimes against them?

January 15, 2020 Satarupa Sen Bhattacharya

As India strives to ensure faster delivery of justice in cases involving crimes against women, several steps have been taken to improve ease of initial reporting. Here are some reports from different cities that indicate how these are functioning on the ground.

How released female prisoners in Kolkata are trying to build a new life

January 14, 2020 Gurvinder Singh

Shunned by families, often deeply scarred and traumatised by experiences in prison and ostracised by society at large, women convicts can rarely expect a normal life in the city after release. These cases from Kolkata, facilitated by state and NGOs, however raise hope.