Violence against women curtails education, employment: Gandhi

Violence is weaponised in Indian society to suppress women's progress and limit their potential, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday, urging women to build confidence in themselves and demand their rights. Speaking at the party's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' youth outreach initiative in Pune, Gandhi identified three distinct forms of violence against women: physical violence, economic violence, and violence through denial of opportunities. He noted that these overlapping forms of oppression work together to restrict women's freedom of movement, access to education, and economic participation.

Students who interacted with Gandhi at the event raised persistent challenges facing women in India, including sexual harassment, inadequate personal safety infrastructure, insufficient public transport security, and financial constraints that prevent educational advancement. These factors collectively undermine women's ability to achieve economic independence and participate fully in society, they highlighted.

Gandhi cited alarming statistics to underscore the scale of the problem. He said approximately 4.5 lakh female foeticides occur annually in India, while 80 per cent of women experience some form of harassment. Physical violence affects 29 per cent of women, and rape accounts for 6 per cent of recorded violence cases. Most significantly, Gandhi claimed that 99 per cent of sexual violence incidents remain unreported, indicating a vast hidden crisis.

The Congress leader described women as the country's most valuable asset and called for societal recognition of their rights. He emphasised the need for women to develop self-belief and agency while also calling for systemic changes to address the structural violence that constrains their freedoms and opportunities across education, employment and public life.