The social condition of women and their access to justice as well as empowerment is a matter of great concern. On one hand in the Indian religious scriptures, women are considered as respectable and worthy of worship. On the other hand, they are exploited, tortured and humiliated. Gender discrimination and injustice are widely practiced in the Indian society whereas the law of the land prohibits such acts. Women are becoming more and more unprotected day by day both inside their homes as also outside. The National Crime Record Bureau states in its report that every hour in India 18 women are raped. There has been a recorded 700 per cent phenomenal increase in cases of rape as per data from 1971, whereas in other areas of crime against women this increase is 300 per cent. Evidently, these heinous crimes against women reflect the faltering moral and mental state of men in our society.

There has been a marked increase in other crimes against women in recent years. Every year around 6000 women are prey to dowry deaths, primarily through bride burning. Rural areas witness even more violations of women’s human rights. This is all the more alarming because more than 70 per cent of the Indian population resides in the rural areas. Women in India lead their lives generally under the shadow of inequality and discrimination. Till such time as they continue to be prey to inequality, exploitation and injustice, democracy cannot be established in India in real terms.

In spite of all the evil practices being conducted why are the women of India quiet? Why doesn’t a flare from within them burn the social barriers of gender discrimination? Possibly the answer to all such questions is lack of access to justice and empowerment. Access to justice has several components. Firstly, it is access to government or civil society sponsored legal aid services such as access to information about legal rights and responsibilities, legal counselling, legal advice, legal representation and other legal advocacy services. Secondly, it is physical access to structures/mechanisms where people can take their problems in the pursuit of justice. Thirdly, it includes application of constitutional provisions on human rights and legislations in order to bring about justice for all persons irrespective of their social, political, economic or cultural standing.

Today, the rule of law often rules women out. Obstacles persist that prevent women from accessing legal protection for their rights, resulting in discrimination and inequality that hamper women’s ability to live a life free of violence and be able to contribute as full and equal citizens. These obstacles can be overcome through united and dedicated action. Steps urgently needed include the repealing of all discriminatory legislation, greater participation of women in the justice sector and innovative institutional reforms that are responsive to women-specific needs. Furthermore, an engagement with informal justice that promotes women’s equality and rights, and a focus on establishing women’s right to justice following conflict through transitional justice, particularly reparations programmes are needed.

Globally, 139 constitutions include guarantees of gender equality, 125 countries outlaw domestic violence, and 117 countries have equal pay laws and outlaw sexual harassment at work. Women have equal right to own property in 115 countries and in 93 nations they have equal inheritance rights. Yet the implementation of these laws continues to lag behind. India fails to impress on these fronts. With a value of 0.647, India ranks 129th out of 146 countries on the Gender Inequality Index.

An important step towards empowering women is imparting education and moulding the young female minds to help them become self responsible citizens. The future of our nation not only depends on the men but equally on the women. When each citizen has equal access to justice and is equally empowered only then shall the nation progress towards a brighter tomorrow. Work opportunities available to men should be given to women in order to boost their confidence and help them find their space in this enormous world.

At the Indian Grasslands Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), we endeavour to contribute to women empowerment. We are continuously working on researching and developing tools that will help reduce drudgery of the women farmers. These tools help in improving their efficiency, reducing health hazards and saving time. We believe that ‘when a woman has the right and responsibility of giving life, she also has a right to live a dignified life’? q