Awareness is the key metric to bring the change in society. As a law student, I see many educated women in society, don’t aware about their basic rights. So, this thread will help you to know your basic rights.

Legal Rights of Indian women

A Thread

1/ Women have the right to equal pay - Acc. to the provision listed under the Equal Remuneration Act, one cannot be discriminated on the basis of sex when it comes to salary, pay or wages. Working women have the right to draw an equal salary as compared to men. Ask for equal pay.

2/ Women have the right to dignity and decency - In an event that the accused (a person who has been arrested) is a woman, any medical examination procedure on her must be performed in the presence of another woman.

3/ Women have the right against workplace harassment - The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, gives a female the right to file a complaint against any kind of sexual harassment at her place of work.

4/ Under this act, she can submit a written complaint to an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at a branch office within a period of 3 months.

5/ Women have a right against domestic violence - Section 498 of the Indian Constitution looks to protect a wife, female live-in partner or a woman living in a household like a mother or a sister from domestic violence

6/ (including verbal, economic, emotional and sexual) by the hands of a husband, male live-in partner or relatives. For any violence, please report FIR.

7/ Female sexual assault victims have the right to keep their identity anonymous - To ensure that her privacy is protected, a woman who has been sexually assaulted may record her statement alone before the district magistrate when the case is under trial.

8/ Women have the right to get free legal aid - Under the Legal Services Authorities Act, females have the right to get free legal aid or help from the Legal Services Authority who has to arrange a lawyer for her.

9/ Women have the right not to be arrested at night - Unless there is an exceptional case on the orders of a first class magistrate, a woman cannot be arrested after sunset and before sunrise.

10/ In addition, the law also states that the police can interrogate a woman at her residence only in the presence of a woman constable and family members or friends.

11/ Women have the right to register virtual complaints - The law gives women the provision for filing virtual complaints via email, or writing her complaint and sending it to a police station from a registered postal address.

12/ Further, the SHO sends a police constable to her place to record her complaint. This is in case a woman is not in a position to physically go to a police station and file a complaint.

13/ Women have the right against being stalked - Section 354D of the IPC makes way for legal action to be taken against an offender (a person who commits crime) if he/she follows a woman,

14/ tries to contact her to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest, or monitor the use by a woman of the internet, email or any other form of electronic communication.

15/ Right to Zero FIR- An FIR can be filed at any police station irrespective of the location where the incident occurred or a specific jurisdiction (area of control) it comes under, the Zero FIR can later be moved to the Police Station in whose jurisdiction the case falls under.

16/ Right to not being called to the police station - Women cannot be called to the police station for interrogation under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code. This law provides Indian women the right of not being physically present at the police station for interrogation.

17/ “The police can interrogate a woman at her residence in the presence of a woman constable and family members or friends,” says Abeed.

18/ So, the next time you’re called to the police station for queries or interrogation when you have faced any kind of harassment, quote this guideline of the Supreme Court to exercise your right and remind the cops about it.

19/ The doctor cannot say no - A case of rape can’t be dismissed even if the doctor says that rape has not taken place. A victim of rape needs to be medically examined as per Section 164 A of the Criminal Procedure Code, and only the report can act as proof.

20/ A woman has the right to have a copy of the medical report from the doctor. Rape is crime and not a medical condition. It is a legal term and not a diagnosis to be made by the medical officer treating the victim.

21/ The only statement that can be made by the medical officer is that there is evidence of recent sexual activity. Whether the rape has occurred or not is a legal conclusion and the doctor can’t decide on this.

22/ As per the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2005, it prohibits below 18 years girls of age to get married. In India, about 46% of girls are married below the age of 18 years even now.

23/ If you see this happening, you can file a FIR and parents can be arrested for getting their daughter married early. Any girl over 18 years of age can choose a partner irrespective of the caste and no one can prevent her. This is the right which is given by the Supreme Court.

24/ Women can dissolve their marriage on the grounds of cruelty, as per the Indian Divorce Act 1969.

25/ Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 - It states that a woman employee who has worked in an organisation for a period of at least 80 days during the 12 months preceding the date of her expected delivery is entitled to receive maternity benefits,

26/ which includes maternity leave, nursing breaks, medical allowance, etc. Payment during the leave period is based on the average daily wage for the period of actual absence.

27/ Further, the period of paid maternity leave (Maternity Benefit) that a woman employee is entitled to has been increased to 26 weeks. The Act previously allowed pregnant women to avail Maternity Benefit for only 6 weeks, but now, this period is increased to 8 weeks.

28/ Right to property - As per the Hindu Succession Act 1956, there is equal right to property to women and to their ancestor property too. A woman should always ask their parents.

29/ The above law is very important as there should be a mindset shift because most girls think that because parents have spent on their marriage and so they don’t want to take the property.

30/ But, I think that is changing now and women should be aware that they have the right to their father’s property just as much son’s have.

31/ These are the main rights that women should know. One humble right from my side, is to share this thread with your women/ daughters or tag them, so that they know their rights. As, in India, very few women know their rights and it’s my duty to make other women aware of them.

32/ Tagging a few women which I admire the most.

@galjudo @supriyapaul93 @Swats26 @iRadhikaGupta @abhiandniyu @Sairee @M_Raj03 @trdessai @captriturathee @D_Roopa_IPS

Disclaimer- Please share the awareness of women rights as it's the first step to bring the change in society.