Addressing Gender Based Violence in India

NCAER, in collaboration with the World Bank, organised a roundtable discussion on “Combating Gender-Based Violence in India” at its campus on the 5th of December, 2024.

The event began with an opening address by Soumya Kapoor Mehta from the World Bank, who highlighted the alarmingly high prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) in India despite significant policy initiatives. This was followed by three insightful presentations. The first presentation by Geetika Hora from the World Bank explored gender-based violence in Kerala. The second by Mansi Shah from SEWA examined how structural violence in informal work environments contributes to GBV. The last presentation by Navya Srivastava from NCAER analysed the drivers of intimate partner violence (IPV) across India and established a link between women’s formal employment and their risk of IPV.

The subsequent discussions, moderated by Dr Ratna Sahay from NCAER, delved into policy solutions aimed at addressing both individual determinants and the broader economic and cultural factors that perpetuate GBV. Key policy recommendations included improving gender attitudes among both men and women through gender-sensitivity training integrated into primary and secondary education, holding men accountable for acts of violence, increasing women’s participation in the formal labour force, and strengthening institutional quality, accessibility, and accountability.

The discussions also highlighted the impact of GBV on children, emphasising the need to include children in prevention strategies. Additionally, significant attention was given to the rising prevalence of GBV in online spaces, underscoring the need to enhance women’s safety both online and offline.