TAG: india

What Led To The Decline Of The Matrilineal Society In Kerala?

Kerala is an enigma. With its high social indices of literacy, sex ratio and low female infanticides, it projects the image of a progressive state, one way ahead of the others. But ask the women who actually live there and they will have a different story to tell.

Partner for Law in Development’s newsletter

Here is the latest edition (Vol. 9 (IV) July- August 2016) of our bi-monthly newsletter – covering significant UN updates, international events, national judgments and policy related developments relating to gender, sexuality and culture that took place in the months of July and August.

Emerging Powers, Sexuality and Human Rights at the AWID Forum

The session examined how the geopolitical shifts implied in the articulation of these global South countries in new blocs, especially the BRICS, has generated expectations that this emergence of “powers from the South” would eventually open up space for new platforms for the political work on sexuality, gender and human rights, that would not be caught by overlapping North-South tensions (or post-colonial effects) that perennially cross these fields of debate.

Tribute to Agniva Lahiri

With great sadness SPW informs about the departure of Agniva Lahiri, a young Indian activist from Kolkata, who was deeply engaged in local and global struggles for trans rights and sexual rights more broadly speaking. Agniva has left us too early and will be deeply missed. We share some tributes in her memory. A Tribute […]

Key Trends and Tensions in sexual politics: a commentary

It also seemed to me that the general mood of pessimism came from the fact that most of the meeting’s participants were not digital natives, not exactly the ”globalized children”. This meant – again, with notable exceptions – that we still saw activism and policy advocacy

India – Gender in Medical Education: Perceptions of Medical Educators

The study findings point to the need for a nuanced understanding of gender among medical educators and students. The introduction of gender could pave the way for an opening up of medicine to delve deeper into how signifiers such as class, caste, gender etc. have a bearing on health. The medical curriculum and training must undergo fundamental changes to integrate gender so as to ensure the creation of a gender-sensitive and socially-relevant medical force in the country.

The Lancet: Can India transition from informal abortion provision to safe and formal services?

The past three decades brought important developments to the area of women’s access to abortion, especially with the advent of medical abortion methods. However, the rate of unsafe abortion worldwide remained unchanged between 1995 and 2008.1 Although abortion was legalised in India in 1972, several barriers continue to prevent women from accessing safe abortion services, […]

SC refuses to hear plea on section 377, refers matter to CJI’s bench

The Supreme Court Wednesday declined to examine all over again a plea filed against validity of IPC Section 377, which makes homosexuality a criminal offence punishable with a sentence up to life term. The joint petition has been filed by some prominent gay personalities — celebrity chef and restaurateur Ritu Dalmia, hotelier Aman Nath and dancer N S Johar, among others.

Sex work isn’t illegal. So why has the Indian government blocked 240 escort websites?

If we really want to clean up sexual expression among adults, let’s adopt a new standard: consent.

India vigils in memory of Orlando shooting victims

By Orinam Jun 13 2016 A makeshift memorial with flowers and handprints rests in a parking lot near the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. source: Getty via NPR The mass shooting in Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, US, during the early hours of June 12, resonates with those of us who have faced […]

Section 377 violates the principle of non-discrimination, hope Supreme Court of India recognises that: UN expert

The State has a responsibility for protecting the LGBTI community from violence, a UN expert said on Wednesday, adding that he hopes that the Supreme Court of India makes an “enlightened” and “progressive” decision on the matter.

The sexual politics in February 2016

In February, there were good news to report from both Haiti and Europe. In the case of Haiti, the Penal Code reform is underway and the draft document approved by a committee of juridical experts includes a provision that legalizes abortion on the basis of public health concerns and freedom of women. Although this is […]