This week saw an international conference held in Paris, France, where the item on the agenda was one of massive importance: gender equality. The three-day conference, which opened on Wednesday, foregrounded equality of the sexes as a global priority, seeking to – as The Associated Press (AP) reports – “fast-track the road to gender equality […]
women's rights
C-sections on the rise globally
The rate of caesarean sections (or c-sections) is on the rise worldwide, according to data which found that such procedures now account for more than one-fifth of childbirths. The research further postulates that, by 2030, c-sections may account for almost one-third of childbirths as numbers increase. It is important to note that a c-section can […]
‘COVID widows’ struggle highlights the invisible pain of India’s bereaved women
Nobody has been untouched by the COVID-19 pandemic, with one of the most brutal effects being bereavement. In India, where widowhood has long been stigmatised often to shocking degrees, ‘COVID widows’ are struggling. Widowhood is a global issue which relegates many bereaved women, having undergone incalculable tragedy, to the sidelines of society. This has been […]
Gender discrimination lingers: We must push for equality
The observance of International Women’s Day, which we mark today, is crucial in raising awareness of gender discrimination and the need to advance towards gender equality. It is important in India, a country beset by a range of issues related to gender discrimination despite advances made. The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is […]
Women’s equality: The need of the hour
We are all equal. It is a message children are or, at the very least, ought to be taught from the earliest age. The fault line of gender is an area where humanity consistently has fallen short as it pertains to equality. As it is with race, with religion, with sexual orientation, and so many […]
“Empowerment comes from within” – Shivani Gupta talks to HII
In the time of COVID-19, we reassess the workplace. One vital aspect of this reassessment is the role of workers’ empowerment and gender inclusivity. Last year, the World Economic Forum released its gender equality rankings in the Global Gender Gap Report. India slipped in said rankings, placing 112th out of 153 countries surveyed. As my […]
A gender divide when it comes to COVID-19?
Much has been made of how the COVID-19 pandemic affects groups of society differently – and fault lines may be there when it comes to gender and COVID-19 deaths, recent research suggests. More Indian men are diagnosed with COVID-19 and more COVID-19 deaths are reported among men. However, the case fatality rate (CFR) for COVID-19 […]
The invisible plight of India’s widows
To become a widow is to experience profound personal tragedy. Tragically, for many of India’s widows, the pain of such a loss and the grief that ensues lays the foundation for continued hardship – for a life marked by stigmatisation, dehumanisation, loneliness, and despair. Widowed women populate India in significant numbers. “There are at least […]
Sex workers and their invisible plight
The global COVID-19 pandemic has created disruption to everyday life unprecedented in recent memory. Nobody’s life has been untouched by the pandemic. However, for marginalised groups, the disruption is acutely felt – and one group hit especially hard by COVID-19 is sex workers. Estimates as to the number of sex workers in India vary. A […]
Indian abortion law reform gets nod from MPs
Lawmakers in the Lok Sabha have approved reform to Indian abortion law proposed by the Centre, which could expand access to abortion in the country. Parliamentarians in the lower house of the Indian Parliament approved by voice vote the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which seeks to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy […]