Understanding gender justice: Perceptions of lawyers in india

Abstract

The Indian Constitution is a woman-friendly document but institutionalised patriarchy in society at large has made it quite difficult to practice gender equality in courts. The women's movements in India have been battling with the courts for more than three decades on issues related to various forms of violence against women in both public and private spheres. In this article, the focus is on understanding the perceptions of the lawyers who have been fighting cases related to gender justice as well as working towards changing the law itself. Feminist lawyers have been an integral part of the women's movement in India and have helped achieve the passage of new laws. The study highlights the problems faced by lawyers and their sense of the challenges involved. © 2010 CWDS SAGE Publications.