The office-bearers of various women’s organisations called for protests on August 28 against the government’s alleged negligence in tackling the high incidence of domestic violence against women during the COVID pandemic and in providing them means of livelihood during the crisis.
In a joint press release, D. Rama Devi (All India Democratic Women's Association), P. Durga Bhavani (National Federation of Indian Women), M. Lakshmi Pragatiseela (Progressive Organisation of Women) and G. Lalitha (Akhila Bharata Mahila Samskrutika Sangham) stated that domestic violence has grown manifold during the pandemic and the opening of liquor business contributed to atrocities on women. Pregnant women were getting infected due to the governments’ “indifference to their plight” and women in home isolation have poor access to health care, they pointed out. The leaders said the increasing corporatisation of agriculture robbed women of their livelihood and that the rights of labourers, particularly women, were being trampled.
