Published Paper Details:

This paper is aimed to offer a deep examination of women's issues concerning their reproductive rights in India, especially with the use of international framework as benchmarks. Though Indian legislature has attempted to put in place legal framework and policy mechanisms safeguarding reproductive health, autonomy as well as access to abortion, contraception and maternal health but these measures often fall short of the international standards and fail to provide access to the most marginalized populations. This paper discusses the obligation that India has under various international treaties such as CEDAW, ICCPR and ICESCR along with the extent to which these obligations are, in fact, operationalized. Based on the analysis of the legislative framework at the national level, landmark judicial development and the prevailing socio-economic conditions of women; the study has attempted to highlight the striking gaps pertaining to the equity and its implementation. As a matter of policy, the paper recommends to abandon narrow medical based approach to a more holistic and comprehensive reproductive justice framework grounded in rights, dignity and social inclusion.