Women's Right in India

Women in India have been facing discrimination for a long time, in terms of rights related to social, economic and political areas. During the colonial period, practices such as Sati Pratha, child marriage, dowry practices, and denial of access to education were prevalent. Patriarchy and misogyny were deeply rooted in ancient times. During the period of struggle against colonial rule, leading activists such as Mahatma Gandhi helped women to expand their rights by encouraging them to participate in movements like non-violent civil disobedience against British rule. The Child Marriage Restraint Act was passed on September 28, 1929; organisations such as the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) and the National Federation of Indian Women (NIFC) emerged during this period, and women took an active role in various political movements. After the post-independence period, women became conscious of their rights. Constitutional provisions were enacted to protect their rights, such as Article 14 (Right to Equality), Article 15 (Prohibition of Discrimination), Article 16 (Equality of Opportunity), and Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty), among others. Besides these constitutional provisions, several laws have been enacted since independence for the welfare of women, and we will explore them in detail below.