Protection of Indian Women through Criminal Laws

Challenges and Progress in Protecting Indian Women's Rights

Abstract

In ancient India, women had equal standing with males in all spheres of life. According to Rigvedic lyrics, women married at a mature age and were likely allowed to choose their own spouses. During the early Vedic period, women had equal position and rights. However, after 500 B.C., the position of women began to deteriorate, and the Islamic invasion of Babur and the Mughal empire, as well as Christianity, eventually harmed women's independence and rights. Although reform groups such as Jainism enabled women to join monastic organisations, women in India were generally confined and restricted. The practise of child marriage is said to have begun in the sixth century.[1] The Bhakti movements sought to restore women's position and challenged various types of tyranny. Some cultures' traditions, such as Sati, Jauhar, and Devadasi, have been outlawed and are practically extinct in modern India. However, some of these behaviours may still be seen in isolated areas of India. In some areas, Indian women still practise the purdah. Child marriage is still frequent in rural regions, despite the fact that it is banned under current Indian legislation.[2]