In the recent assembly elections, we were once again inundated with information about how much of a difference the women’s vote made to the outcome.

Sex ratio is perhaps one of the most important sociodemographic indices which reflect the socio-economic and cultural ethos of a country, more so with reference to the status of its women.

It was the tragic death by suicide that has laid bare the daily trauma of the three sisters from a landless household married to an affluent family with demands for dowry from impoverished parents.

The high female infant mortality rates (Miller, 1985), the practice of female infanticide (Krishnaswamy, 1988), the neglect of female children with regard to access to health services, nutrition (Sen and Sengupta 1983) and education (Mankekar, 1985), and the sexual abuse of girls (Bhalerao, 1985)

We live in an era of paradoxes and contradictions - the reality was never so multifaceted, the issues never so complex. Everything around us seems to be melting and unfortunately the new forms acquired by the congealing of the molten mass leaves us little to rejoice at.

India's efforts to promote family planning have produced a significant increase in the couple protection rate (CPR) which has increased by about 33 percent during the last 22 years-from 10.4 percent in 1970 to 43.5 in 1992.

The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, is an Indian law aimed at prohibiting the indecent portrayal of women through advertisements, publications, writings, paintings, and other visual mediums.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013, is an Indian law aimed at ensuring a safe and dignified work environment for women.

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA) is an Indian law enacted to safeguard women from domestic violence within familial or domestic relationships.

The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987, is an Indian law enacted to prevent and punish the practice of sati, where a widow immolates herself on her husband's funeral pyre.