Law reform for gender equality: From where we left off…
Scrutinising our laws on sexual violence is even more crucial now in view of the horrific Kolkata rape incident
3m ago
'What about us?'
While discussing the legal recognition of gender identity, many participants highlighted that the state authorities and general people lack sufficient understanding of the various clusters of the transgender population.
1y ago
Changes in Labour Rules will actually reduce maternity benefits
Laws and policy frameworks must be sensitive towards the rights of maternity protection
2y ago
A rape victim’s journey to justice should be easier
The fact that a rape victim’s journey towards justice is a grueling one is not unknown to us.
2y ago
Penalising victims of child marriage isn’t the right way to go
Two 15-year-old minors were recently sentenced to one month’s imprisonment by a mobile court in Netrokona for getting married before they were legally old enough to do so.
3y ago
Backlogged factory inspections: Now is the time to act
We have witnessed yet another factory fire catastrophe but this time it involves a factory which does not cater to international garment retailers—hence, loss of lives of the workers burnt inside the Hashem food factory would perhaps be forgotten even sooner.
3y ago
On removing character evidence from the law
It is indeed a relief to know that section 155(4) of the Evidence Act that allows character evidence in rape cases will perhaps finally be removed.
3y ago
Whistleblowing and Secrecy Law: Where is the Balance?
The legal protection for secrecy of “nationally important” information and its conflict with the free press constitute a dichotomy that has long been debated around the globe. Although governments are usually granted legal protection to keep certain documents and information undisclosed, guarantees of right to information and press freedom are considered essential to ensure government accountability.
3y ago
November 17, 2020
Rape of a child bride: Laws locked in a time warp
In the year 1890 during the British colonial regime Hari Mohan Maiti, an adult man aged 35, was charged in the Calcutta High Court with causing the death of his bride Phulmonee who was just about 11-years-old.
November 3, 2020
The problematic legal definition of rape
The video of a gruesome act of sexual violence on a woman in Begumganj, Noakhali that went viral in early October, and the subsequent reporting on the incident in various media outlets had led many to questions—was it rape or could it be called an attempt to rape, or was it a sexual assault?
October 27, 2020
Mandating DNA evidence in all violence against women cases
No doubt that in rape cases, DNA evidence can strengthen investigations and prosecutions.
October 11, 2020
How effective is the law restraining child marriage?
The demand of girls worldwide to live free from the harmful practice of child marriage is one of the key focuses of this year’s International Day of the Girl Child.
October 8, 2020
Time to initiate legal reforms in rape prosecution
The alarming rise in the incidents of sexual violence against women and children points at the failure of the existing law and justice system in prosecuting offenders of rape and ensuring justice for the victims.
July 25, 2020
Violence Against Women During Covid-19: Accepting the threat as ‘real’ is paramount
It is now common knowledge that a pandemic, or any emergency for that matter, impacts women and girls differently than men.
December 14, 2019
A little more than just an ‘internal’ issue?
The controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 (CAB) has been finally passed through both the lower and upper houses of the Indian Parliament this week amidst protests and questions being raised regarding its constitutional validity.
August 8, 2019
Assam NRC: Should Bangladesh be concerned?
In July last year, the draft NRC (National Register of Citizens) in Assam had primarily delisted more than four million people from Indian citizenship—a process that is now pending for its final publication on August 31 of this year.
June 18, 2019
Caring for ageing parents: Is law the only solution?
The Maintenance of Parents Act 2013 has made it a punishable offence for the children to fail to fulfil certain duties and responsibilities towards their parents as described in the Act.
April 25, 2019
A sigh of relief?
Very recently, a circular was issued by the Supreme Court saying that from now on, the testimony of women and children victims of rape and sexual assault, under Section 22 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000, will be recorded only by female magistrates. This decision was taken based on the recommendation of the Supreme Court’s Special Committee for Judicial Reforms.
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