Violence against women is legitimized by social norms, beliefs and institutions.

I have decided to speak on ‘Women’s Empowerment through Local Governance in South Asia’, a s

Decades of campaigning has led to signiicant changes and reform in the rape law.

Women experience disadvantage and oppression differentially, based on their status, context and location.

Decentralization is the key to the speedy, effective and participatory process of delivery of public services to the needy through development programmes of the Panch

Drawing on empirical data from four gram panchayats in Orissa, the paper examines the ‘representation’ of elected representatives—more particularly those of disadvantaged categories—by exploring their participation in the governance process, responsiveness towards the interest o