- Women’s rights are always in doubt, even in a democratic country like India, where constitutionally mandated guarantees ensure that both genders are treated equally. There cannot be two distinct rights for men and women, but women frequently find themselves on the wrong side of the law when fighting for their just rights. Of course, the scourge of patriarchal and misogynistic society persists today, despite concerted efforts to reduce partiality, bias, and discrimination based on gender. Societies all over the world have evolved, but millennia-old practices are still practiced despite mind-boggling developments. Unlike their male counterparts, women do not have an easy path.
PC: FLO
- Thankfully, women are making significant progress in all areas of life, including those previously thought to be male domains. Women are leaving enviable footprints everywhere, so none of the fields can be said to be exclusive to men any longer. The question here is why society still hesitates to provide women with an unhindered and unconditional level playing field. Why are women at the mercy of male chauvinism, which still dominates the daily narrative? The government may have taken several steps to improve women’s lives and encourage fair treatment. However, the deeply ingrained belief system that is so prevalent in society has yet to be effectively eradicated.
- Consider a woman’s right to continue with her pregnancy or to terminate it. Even the debate over the marriageable age for women in India has not been resolved, despite repeated attempts by successive governments to address the issue. Let’s look at some of the pregnancy-related incidents here. As previously reported, a pregnant teen and her family who petitioned the Gujarat High Court for permission to terminate her seven-month pregnancy deserve our sympathies. The teen concealed her situation after having sex with a 23-year-old. It is now several weeks past the 24-week limit for abortion without a court order. Surprisingly, the judge quoted Manusmriti as saying it was de facto for 17-year-olds to bear children.
PC: Vijay Soneji
- The sole issue here is the girl’s well-being. As it is, messy lawmaking has not only criminalized sex between consenting teens and young adults but also could soon outlaw women from marrying before 21, completely out of sync with reality. She is thus a statutory rape survivor, and the 23-year-old is a rapist. Instead of acknowledging the case’s delicate and contentious nature, the judge postponed the next hearing after a medical evaluation until June 15. Delaying the hearing by a week is traumatizing and reduces her chances of having a safe abortion, which she has the right to regardless of age. Remember that the Supreme Court stated that all women, married or unmarried, have the right to a safe abortion. As a result, the teen should be permitted to have a safe abortion without further delay.
