Have you ever been in a situation where you had to be polite to someone who was not polite to you just because you are a woman? I feel you, in fact at some point I was you. In India, many women are not aware of their legal rights and are usually suppressed because of it. If you are a woman who is reading this article, I am hitting my goal.
To give you the correct idea on the same, we spoke to Ms Sadaf Khan from Lexicon Legal to discern between just and unjust for our readers.
1.Right To Equal Pay
We now have gender-neutral legislation. Both men and women are entitled to the
same salary for the same work. This is spelt out in the Equal Remuneration Act. It ensures that men and women are paid equally for doing the same or similar work. In terms of recruitment or working conditions, there should be no discrimination based on gender.
2. Right To Self-Defence/Private Defence
It’s a retaliatory right. In order to protect your body or another person’s body from the aggressor, you may cause harm, severe harm, or even death. However, you can only murder the aggressor without drawing accountability and penalty if the following conditions are met:
i. If you believe the aggressor is going to murder you or;
ii. inflict you great bodily harm, or is about to conduct rape, kidnapping, or
abduction, or is about to lock you in a room or is about to throw or attempt to
throw acid at you, you have the right to kill that person and the law will
defend you.
3. Rights At Workplace
i. Women have a legal right to a women’s restroom at their place of business.
ii. It is necessary to provide facilities for child care and feeding in sites where
there are more than 30 female employees.
iii. The Supreme Court and the government have also taken steps to safeguard
women’s safety at work. If someone at your workplace asks you for sexual
favours, makes sexually charged remarks, whistles or sings obscene songs
while looking at you, touches you inappropriately, or displays pornography,
you may file a complaint with the Internal Complaints Committee, which is
required to be formed by the employer at each office or branch with 10 or
more employees.
4. Women Have A Right To Zero FIR
The Zero FIR is a type of police report that may be submitted at any police station,
regardless of where the incident happened or what jurisdiction it falls under. The Zero FIR can then be transferred to the police station that has jurisdiction over the
matter. The Supreme Court made this decision to save the victim’s time and prevent a perpetrator from walking free.
5. Women Have The Right To Be Free From Stalking
If an offender follows a woman, attempts to contact her to encourage physical engagement frequently despite a clear signal of indifference, or monitors a woman’s usage of the internet, email, or any other kind of electronic communication, he or she may face legal action under Section 354D of the IPC.
6. Women Have The Right To Register Virtual Complaints
Women can file virtual complaints by e-mail or write a complaint and submit it to a police station from a registered postal address, according to the law. In addition, the SHO sent a police officer to her residence to document her complaint. If a woman is unable to physically go to a police station and submit a report, this option is available.
7. Victims Of Sexual Assualt – Women Have The Right To
Remain Anonymous
A woman who has been sexually attacked may record her statement alone before a
district magistrate when the matter is under trial, or in the presence of a female police officer, to guarantee that her privacy is respected.
8. Inheritance Rights In Family Property
The most widely publicised ruling in 2015 was that it upheld the amendment to the
Hindu Succession Act 2005, which now permits women to have an equal portion of inheritance as males. The amendment also included a clause allowing women to
take on the position of ‘Karta’ in the property.
9. The Right To Live In A Home Free Of Domestic Violence
Domestic violence impacts women in many aspects of their lives. They must be
informed that they are protected by the Domestic Violence Act of 2005. Women who are assaulted by their parents, brothers, husbands, or live-in partners are protected by this law.
10. Right To Maternity Benefits
Maternity benefits should not be upscale because they are covered under the
Maternity Benefit Act of 1961. Every working woman has the right to a complete
compensated leave of absence from work to care for herself and her child under the Act. Any company with more than ten workers is required to observe this Act.
Indian Law protects its women really well. These are basic rights that every woman should be aware of. Law will empower you to protect yourself in time of need. Once you know your rights under the Indian constitution, you can help not just yourself but also other women of society.
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