Women & Law (Optional - I&II)

Semester - VIII & X

Syllabus

1. Women in India
i. Pre- Independence period
a) Social and Legal inequality
b) Social Reform Movements in India
ii. Post-independence period
a) Preamble of the constitution, Equality provisions in
Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State
Policy.
b) Uniform Civil Code towards Gender Justice.
c) Participation of woman in democratic government

2. Global Status of Women:

With respect to:

i. Civil and Political Rights

ii. Social and Cultural rights

3. Protection and Safeguard of Women under Personal Laws:

i. Provisions for Marriage and Divorce :
 Hindu laws- Muslim laws -Christian law
 Overview of Indian Divorce Act
 Maintenance provisions under Special Marriage Act
and S.125 of CrPC.
 Rights of women in live-in relationship.
ii. Law on Guardianship
 Right of women to adopt a child
 Problems of woman guardianing
iii. Gender inequality in Inheritance Rights:
 Hindu Law- Muslim Law
 Movement towards Uniform Civil Code
4. Protection and Safeguards under Law of Crimes:
i. Offences Affecting Public Decency & Morals
 S.292 – S.294 of Indian Penal Code, 1860.
ii. Offences against human body (marital rape)
iii. Offences related to marriage &cruelty
iv. Criminal intimidation
v. Reformsunder The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013: An
analysis.
vi. Law related to Dowry Prohibition & Domestic violence
vii. Prevention of immoral Trafficking and Forced Prostitution
viii. Cyber Crime and the Victimization of Women
ix. Termination of pregnancy and related privacy concerns.

5. Women & Employment

i. Women and labour law – Requisite for special treatment
ii. Employment opportunities and wage disparity
iii. Sexual harassment of women in the workplaces
iv. Maternity Benefits under Indian law
v. Commercial Surrogacy in India & its regulation
6. Women Empowerment: Role of Enforcement Machineries:
i. Reform through Judicial Interventions
ii. Role of National Commission for Women
iii. Role of NGOs and reform from within the society.