On the so-called ‘witch killings’ in Jharkhand

A SIX member team of the CPI(M) visited Kanjia Marai Toli village in Mandar Thana of Ranchi district on August 9, 2015, where five women were brutally killed by the villagers, declaring them as dayen (witches). The team comprised CPI(M) state secretariat members Praful Linda and Sufal Mahato, district secretary Sukhnath Lohra and AIDWA leaders Bina Linda, Rangowati Devi and Renu Prakash.

AIDWA Starts “Pass the Bill, because ‘honour’ kills” Campaign

THE recent years in India have witnessed a rapid capitalist transformation accompanied by a regressive feudal consciousness, emergence of identity politics and consolidation of caste panchayats in defence of status quo. The conflicts which arise due to these processes are most visible in the sphere of marriage practices and the basis on which social relationships are established.

Oppose Attempts to Amend Section 498A

THE central executive committee of the All India Democratic Women’s Association had given a call for a nationwide campaign against the BJP led NDA government’s moves to amend Section 498A, which provides protection to women from atrocities.Following this call, the Telangana state committee of AIDWA has decided to launch the campaign jointly with other women’s organisations including some NGOs. It organised a round table meeting with 15 women’s organisations and NGOs, including some lawyers. On April 21, it also organised a seminar against sexual remarks made by some political leaders and

Marital Rape Controversy & the Attack On the Democratic Women’s Movement

ANSWERING DMK MP Kanimozhi’s question on whether the Government of India planned to criminalise marital rape, the minister of state for home, Hirabhai Parathibhai Choudhary from Gujarat stated that “It is considered that the concept of marital rape, as understood internationally, cannot be suitably applied in the Indian context due to various factors eg, level of education/illiteracy, poverty, myriad social customs and values, religious beliefs, mindset of the society to treat marriage as a sacrament, etc. (Rajya Sabha Question 656, April 29, 2015).

AIDWA Holds Public Hearing to expose Anti-people, Pro-corporate Budget

THE All India Democratic Women’s Association has organised a public hearing on April 27 to “Expose anti-people, pro-corporate budget” of the NDA government. The jury comprised Brinda Karat (patron, AIDWA and former Member of Parliament), Aruna Roy (MKSS, Rajasthan and former member of National Advisory Council), Indira Jaisingh (eminent Supreme Court lawyer and human right activist), and Prof Utsa Patnaik (Professor Emeritus, JNU).

AIDWA to Protest against the Anti-Women Union Budget

THE central executive committee (CEC) of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) met at the EMS Academy, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on March 29-30, 2015. The meeting, attended by 61 members from 18 states was presided over by its president Malini Bhattacharya.

India's Daughter Reflects Structural Reasons Behind Proliferation of Rape Cultures

THERE is no need to make too much about differing opinions about a film. There may be very rare occasions when there is unanimity among film viewers. Thus some may like the documentary made around the Nirbhaya case called India's Daughter and some may not. But can the grounds for banning the film be supported? In India, the right to freedom of expression is not an untrammeled right like it is in the United States or some other countries.

“Get rid of the ‘National Shame’, Give us Justice”

ONE thousand rupees a month, that too for ten months a year, is paid since 2009 as the wage more than 25 lakh mid day meal workers, providing noon meal for 11 crore children in 12 lakh schools in the country. A worker has to cook food for an average of hundred children a day. In more than fifty per cent of the schools, they have to get firewood, water etc for cooking. Cleaning, washing the utensils and adding all the work they do, on an average, they have to work for six hours a day.

HARYANA: Mass Organisations Protest Nepali Woman's Brutal Rape & Murder

HUNDREDS of people belonging to various mass organisations led by the All India Democratic Women’s Organisation rose in protest against the brutal rape and murder of the 28 year old mentally challenged woman from Nepal who had come to Rohtak for treatment at her sister’s place in Chinaut Colony. She was abducted by a group of notorious elements from near her residence on February 1 and the case was immediately reported to local police who did not come into action till her badly bruised and mutilated body was found lying in the fields three days later on February 4.

Women’s Safety & the Sangh Parivar: A Comment

THIS week Kiran Bedi joined the Delhi BJP as its star campaigner, and declared in the first very statement that in Delhi “women’s safety is the main issue and not Statehood”. She said that if she wins elections than she would ensure that there was better policing including community policing in order to ensure women’s safety. Almost immediately in response to this, Sharmishtha Mukherjee, the Congress candidate from Greater Kailash, stated that the main issue for her constituency is women’s safety and she would use her MLA funds to do community policing if she won.

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