Feminism In India

The Centre for Health Equity, Law and Policy at the Indian Law Society, Pune, published its report, “The Bench and the Body: An Analysis of Abortion Jurisprudence in India (2019-2024).”

The study critically examines the judicial landscape of abortion access in India by analysing reported cases adjudicated by Indian High Courts and the Supreme Court between January 2019 and December 2024. Despite legal reforms, such as amendments to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act in 2021, the study reveals a pattern of judicial inconsistencies, systemic delays, and recurring rights violations.

Data reveals that while 80% of abortion pleas were permitted, a significant proportion involved women who were already legally entitled to access abortion without judicial intervention. Particularly stark is the number of minors and survivors of sexual violence compelled to approach courts, often due to fear-driven denials by medical practitioners and ambiguity around legal obligations.

The analysis highlights how courts have inconsistently applied constitutional and statutory standards.

Source: Centre for Health Equity, Law and Policy at the Indian Law Society

4 months ago | [YT] | 11

Feminism In India

A 39-year-old man reportedly r@ped his 72-year-old mother twice was arrested on Saturday, said police, adding that he wanted her to punish her because he suspected that she had an affair when he was a child.

“The accused is a graduate who is currently unemployed, and the investigation is ongoing,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan.

The woman told the police that she recently went for a pilgrimage with her husband and daughter. The accused then called up his father and allegedly told him that he should give divorce to her as she does not have a “good character”, an officer said.

He assaulted her twice, r@ped her at knifepoint, beat her and locked her in a room.

The police said the woman then narrated the incident to her daughter, who convinced her to file a police complaint, and she filed the complaint on Saturday.

Read more: shorturl.at/C73BD

4 months ago | [YT] | 17

Feminism In India

On August 11, the Supreme Court struck down the Indian Army’s policy of earmarking six out of nine Judge Advocate General (JAG) posts for men and only three for women, holding that the move was “arbitrary”, violated the right to equality and ran contrary to the concept of gender neutrality.

“The respondents, by notification issued under Section 12 of the Army Act, 1950, have permitted women to join the JAG branch. This court is of the view that the executive cannot restrict numbers and/or make reservations for male officers under the guise of induction by way of policy or administrative instructions…The impugned notification, to the extent it provides for only three vacancies for female candidates as against six for male candidates, is against the concept of equality,” the court said.

The petitions were filed by two women candidates who had ranked fourth and fifth overall but were denied selection due to the larger share of vacancies reserved for men under a 2023 notification. The bench pointed out that in this case, one petitioner had secured 447 marks, higher than the 433 scored by a male candidate ranked third in the men’s list, yet she was excluded. It held that such a selection amounted to “indirect discrimination”.

4 months ago | [YT] | 14

Feminism In India

What is the medical term for severe menstrual cramps that can cause pain, nausea, fatigue, and disrupt daily life?

To know more, explore our #FeministGlossary: tinyurl.com/2zxvrvkx

4 months ago | [YT] | 3

Feminism In India

Which term describes a feminist practice of blending memoir, lived experience, and critical theory, challenging the traditional divide between personal narrative and academic thought?


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5 months ago | [YT] | 5

Feminism In India

(Trigger Warning: S*xual Harassment)
Several men gr*ped French singer Rebecca Baby during her performance at Le Cri de la Goutte fest, reports Hindustan Times. She called them out mid-show and performed topless in protest: “I’ll stay topless until it’s normal.”

5 months ago | [YT] | 19

Feminism In India

What is the name for a literary genre that imagines worlds shaped by climate change, often as a way to process the unfolding climate crisis?

To know more, explore our Feminist Glossary: tinyurl.com/2zxvrvkx

5 months ago | [YT] | 4

Feminism In India

(Trigger Warning: V*olence, R*pe, Attempted M*rder)

A horrifying case of domestic violence, s*xual assault, and attempted m*rder has emerged from Surat, Gujarat, reported News18, A woman was allegedly assaulted by her husband, Ganesh Rajput (35), with a hammer on July 24.

5 months ago | [YT] | 13

Feminism In India

Over 90% of sewer workers who died in 2022–23 lacked basic safety gear, a govt audit reveals. Of 54 deaths studied across 8 states, most had no PPE, training, or consent. Despite claims of ending manual scavenging, the findings expose ongoing neglect in sanitation work.

5 months ago | [YT] | 16

Feminism In India

What do we call the exclusionary approach to environmentalism that promotes expensive, Westernised solutions while ignoring or devaluing indigenous and local sustainable practices?

To know more, explore our Feminist Glossary: tinyurl.com/2zxvrvkx

5 months ago | [YT] | 8