A Gender-Based Policy Analysis of Violence Against Women in India

Résumé

This paper explores the pervasive issue of violence against women (VAW) in India through a gender policy analysis framework. It argues that VAW is deeply rooted in patriarchal systems that view women as subordinate and deny them autonomy, which is further reinforced by legal, social, and cultural structures. Using a case study approach, the paper investigates key manifestations of VAW in India, including female foeticide, child marriage, acid attacks, and honour killings, and analyzes how intersecting factors such as class, caste, religion, and rural living exacerbate women’s vulnerability. The methodology includes a critical evaluation of existing policies like the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, assessing both their strengths and limitations. Despite the presence of legal frameworks in India, poor enforcement, corruption, and social complicity continue to undermine progress. The paper concludes that while awareness has grown in these policy areas, implementation remains weak. It recommends institutional capacity-building, inter-agency collaboration, and increased funding for gender-based programs to improve survivor support, prevention, and legal redress. Ultimately, addressing VAW in India requires a holistic and intersectional policy response that dismantles entrenched gender hierarchies and empowers women as autonomous individuals.