It is a cruel irony that India , a country on its way to becoming a global superpower has the highest number of women dying in childbirth. If the Gender-related Development Index GDI were the best indicator of a nations progress, then India 's reality with respect to maternal deaths, poor nutritional status of women, lack of access to healthcare and education for women demonstrates the country's self-perpetuating backwardness. In rural areas where children and lactating mothers die of starvation, the state budget for nutrition allows them a rupee 20 cents a day. Women naturally become the first victims of hunger and ill health.

In India , women are marginalized, their voices stifled and choices restricted in many ways – both ‘modern' and traditional. Reproductive rights are violated as seen in the conduct of sterilisations and the misuse of technology for sex determination as well as the skewed sex ratio in several parts of the country. Patriarchal stereotypes continue to manifest themselves in the most violent crimes against women – sati, dowry deaths, witch hunting, acid attacks, domestic violence and an number of rapes and sexual assault.

While religious fanatics use the personal laws to debase and dominate women, the recent communal carnage in Gujarat highlighted once again that in situations of conflict women are the first targets both for ‘friendly' and hostile forces. The specific targeting of women of the minority communities and caste-based violence against dalit women is well documented.

Despite progressive labour laws,the system keeps a large part of the female population in servitude and bondage. Sexual harassment at the workplace is on the rise, women are routinely discriminated against at work even for parity of wages, and form a miniscule and ever-decreasing part of organised labour.

The last 25 years have seen much transformation in the law. Progressive statutes such as the Equal Remuneration Act, the Indecent Representation of Women Act, the Sati Abolition Act, Dowry Prohibition Act and the Domestic Violence Act have been enacted. Family Courts and the Women's Commission have been established. Though the history of women and the law has been a mixed bag, the brighter side shows the increasing number of women from all classes coming out to assert their rights, some of them effectively using the law. Also welcome are several judgments by the Indian courts that have read international standards, especially CEDAW into the domestic laws.

The Women's Justice Initiative (WJI) opposes all forms of gender-based discrimination and violence against women and aims at enabling women's access to the justice system, as a vital means to their empowerment. In keeping with our philosophy, WJI provides comprehensive free legal services to poor and marginalized women and also works through legal education, advocacy and policy analysis to continue the struggle for women's rights.