ABORTION RIGHTS OF WOMEN: FOURTH WAVE OF FEMINISM

Abstract

This research paper will look into the current status of reproductive rights of women in India and will also deal with the consequences of the overturned judgement of US Supreme Court. There have been various instances where women in particular have to go through a much harsher route to prove their capability and feminism as a movement has been a conclusive approach towards a better society which is based on equality. Here equality does not always mean in terms of physical strength or emotional well-being, equality implies equal opportunities and better understanding of equal distribution of resources. India, in its broad sense has been patriarchal in nature and if we look at the sources and origin of different personal laws and emergence of Indian civilization, we find a number of texts giving importance to son and males of the family having the authority to decide what is right and wrong for all the other members of the clan. Now coming to abortion rights of women, we know that right to reproduce is something which is intrinsic to being a woman and infringement or any kind of state control over this right would be equal to violation of the right to privacy. Right to life and liberty is an all-encompassing right and it includes under its purview right to privacy which is an important and basic part of liberal democracies. The current judgement of US Supreme Court which overturned Roe v. Wade has been subject to various criticism. This paper will analyse the evolution of abortion rights of women conclusively.