Voices on South Asia

This book investigates the contemporary social, political and economic issues faced by women in South Asia. It focuses on the policies and practices that have challenged or perpetuated gender inequalities, and the evolving role of women in South Asian societies. With contributions from practitioners, policy makers, academics and civil society activists from across South Asia, this volume provides a broad and diverse range of viewpoints on South Asian women's labour force participation, political participation, education, and health, as well as country-specific insights.The volume is conceived as a stage for debate where specific insights act as a window into wider themes, practices and policies. Each essay is followed by policy-relevant recommendations and suggestions for avenues to improve current practice. This book will be relevant for undergraduate students and lecturers of South Asian studies, development, and policy studies, as well as industry practitioners.Contents: Rights, Representation, and Political Participation:No Ceilings, Just Half the Sky! (Meera Sanyal)A Silent Revolution Happening: Nepal's Experiment with Inclusive Elections (Ila Sharma)Women's Rights and Gender Inequalities in Nepal (Kripa Basnyat)Women in the Bangladeshi Newspaper Industry: Waiting for Policy (Kajalie Shehreen Islam)Challenging Gender-Based Violence and Discrimination:The Legal Discourse Addressing Violence Against Women in Bangladesh (Taslima Yasmin)Transport Solutions for Violence Against Women in India (Vani Swarupa Murali)Menstrual Taboo, Discriminatory Access to Places of Worship, and the Policing of Female Bodies in India: The Case of Sabarimala (Silvia Tieri)Dalit Women's Narratives and Autobiographical Writing: Methodological Interventions (Anusha Hariharan)Purdah in an In-Between Space — An Auto-Ethnography of a Bangladeshi Woman (Sharin Shajahan Naomi)Development, Education, and Health:Women, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and the Bangladesh Miracle (Nayma Qayum)Climate Change, Women, and Environmental Movements in India (Pushpa Singh)Against All Odds: Breaking New Ground (Baela Raza Jamil)Women, Education, and Knowledge-Based Economy in Sri Lanka: Opportunities and Challenges (Chulanee Attanayake)Heard and Hard Reality of Maternal Health: Are We Oversimplifying the Challenges in Bangladesh? (Kaosar Afsana)Bridging Gender Inequality in Sanitation in India: Swachh Bharat Mission and Beyond (Deepa Karthykeyan)Labour Force Participation:Systemic Issues Affecting Female Labour Force Participation in Sri Lanka (Nisha Arunatilake)Bhutanese Women in the Workforce (Madhu Rajput)Female Labour Force Participation in Pakistan (Hadia Majid)
Readership: Undergraduate students and lecturers of South Asian studies, development, and policy studies, as well as industry practitioners and policymakers.South Asia;Women;Gender;Development;Health;Labour Force Participation;Political Participation;Women's Rights;Violence Against Women;Education;India;Pakistan;Bangladesh;Nepal;Sri Lanka0Key Features:Written by a diverse range of experts: practitioners, policy makers, academics and civil society activists from across South AsiaEach essay concludes with policy-relevant recommendations, suggesting improvements to current practiceAccessible, with a hands-on rather than a theoretical approach, appealing to a wide audience