Asmita Basu

“This government is bringing in laws, and using language which has fostered an atmosphere of hatred. In such a situation, if you go to the State, the latter will use the issue of women to target the Muslim community.”

This month, the ‘Staying Alive’ series on 20 years of India’s domestic violence law, brings us reflections from the members of the Lawyers Collective team that worked on the drafting of the PWDVA and its Rules.

Twenty years since its passing, one good news is that the DV Act is indeed being used, even as challenges remain in its implementation. This special series honours the journey of the PWDVA through the insights of its drafters, campaigners and implementers, and intends to create a living archive of the law.

This month’s issue of the ‘Staying Alive’ series brings forth the recollections of those who lobbied for the DV Act, and the learnings their campaign have for organising in today’s India.

The March edition of ‘Staying Alive’ explores the critical role of Mahila Panchayats in bringing remedies closer to marginalised women and the need for a creative re-imagination of the role of Protection Officers.

In this month’s issue, social work practitioner Anjali Dave discusses why social work intervention remains crucial for feminist progress on the grassroots and the challenges confronting the idea of Protection Officers in the context of domestic violence.

On International Women’s Day 2025, we are introducing a special issue curating writings that articulate the multi-faceted backlash against India’s feminist movements, effectuated through our courts, the legislature and the executive. As hard-fought feminist gains are resisted and diluted by dominant interests, this special issue makes a simple, but profound argument - if the law can betray, it can also be reclaimed.