Gender and Human Rights

This book incorporates the voices of women from India's margins - women in prostitution, gay women, tribal women, and minority women - in understanding gendered violence and sex-based discrimination. It addresses a range of issues, such as: the dangers of India's Uniform Civil Code; debate in a communally-charged climate; harassment in the workplace; and cultures of violence nurtured and legitimized through dress code, sex, and job discrimination. Violence done to sex workers, by combining and confusing sexual rights with reproductive rights, is delineated with a nuanced understanding. The powerlessness of India's rural women - in making reproductive choices, along with the access of health programs - and the gross violations of rights of women prisoners are other issues of concern.

Bishnu C. Barik is Director, School of Social Sciences, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathawada University, Nanded. He has published several books and research papers on important issues like agrarian structure, migration, weaker sections, irrigation and water management. Pushpesh Kumar teaches sociology at the School of Social Sciences, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathawada University, Nanded. He works in the areas of gender and sexuality and pedagogical issues. He has been a visiting fellow to the Department of Anthropology, London School of Economics and Political Science, London in 2009 under British Academy Fellowship. Usha S. Sarode teaches social work at the School of Social Sciences, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathawada University, Nanded. Her research work focuses on the issues of development and displacement and atrocities on Dalits.