Women dismantling unfair barriers, not intruding professional spaces: Justice BV Nagarathna

Noting that the increasing presence of women in male-dominated professions can’t be termed an intrusion, Supreme Court judge BV Nagarathna has said it shows women are reclaiming spaces historically denied to them due to patriarchal discrimination.

Speaking at the release of a book titled 'Women Laws from the Womb to the Tomb: Rights and Remedies' last evening, Justice Nagarathna said women were not intruding into professional spaces dominated historically by men, rather, they were dismantling unfair barriers that excluded them for generations.

She underlined that discussions about a paradigm shift on women's roles, especially in professions historically dominated by men, should have an inclusive language that empowered and celebrated their rightful participation.

Authored by senior advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani – the book talks about a range of issues from reproductive rights to sexual harassment, marital rape and trafficking in women.

Formally releasing the book, former Supreme Court judge Hima Kohli said the book bridged a critical gap in access to legal knowledge by humanising and contextualising women’s rights.

“The law, for all its sophistication, remains unfathomable for a vast majority of our population, particularly women. It is this deep void that the book finds its calling,” Justice Kohli said.

"What is happening today is not about women invading men's spaces, but rather dismantling barriers that have unfairly excluded them for generations. Every woman stepping into a courtroom, legislature or boardroom today isn't expanding her boundaries. She is reclaiming her fair share of this nation's intellectual and institutional legacy," Justice Nagarathna said.

"It is important to pause and consider the words we use to describe these shifts. We frequently hear phrases like women entering the judiciary, claiming a seat in the boardroom or making their way into fields of power and influence. On deeper examination, however, they subtly suggest that these spaces were not meant for women, that their presence is unusual or even intrusive," Justice Nagarathna said.

She also favoured an early implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures under the Constitution (128th Amendment) Act, 2023, saying the enactment was the culmination of “centuries of struggle” by Indian women for gender parity.