Crime against Gender Justice and Equality

Abstract

Gender inequality in India is deeply rooted in historical, cultural, and religious traditions that have long subordinated women to men. From the Vedic period, when women initially enjoyed respect and education, to the post-Vedic and medieval eras marked by practices like purdah, dowry, and child marriage, women’s autonomy steadily declined. The colonial period brought legal reforms such as the abolition of sati and legalization of widow remarriage, but these reforms often addressed symptoms rather than systemic inequality. Despite India’s constitutional guarantees, women continue to face discrimination and violence at every stage of life, ranging from prenatal sex selection to workplace harassment. The Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with special laws like POCSO and the Sexual Harassment Act, provides legal remedies, yet enforcement and awareness remain challenges. Lasting gender justice requires not only legislative reform but also education, economic empowerment, and societal change to dismantle entrenched patriarchal norms.