SECTION V: COLLECTIVE ACTION & SYSTEMIC CHANGE

• 5.1 From Personal to Political
• 5.2 Legal Literacy & Advocacy
• 5.3 Media, Storytelling & Counter-Narratives
• 5.4 Imagining Justice: Alternatives & Futures

5.1 From Personal to Political

‘Paramilitary forces dance after killing Adivasis’: Soni Sori

The Story of Soni Sori https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/case-history-soni-sori

Caravan Article https://caravanmagazine.in/vantage/soni-sori-attack 

Frontline Interview https://frontline.thehindu.com/social-issues/social-justice/interview-with-tribal-rights-activist-soni-sori-corporate-greed/article69332872.ece 

Interview with Adivasi rights activist CK Janu (in Malayalam) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thN3ejtLTSk 

Accessible Resources on Feminist Movement in Kerala

Brief paper - https://vc.bridgew.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2090&context=jiws 

Feminist Archives by J Devika  https://swatantryavaadini.in/ 

Wire Report https://thewire.in/women/discovering-the-first-generation-of-feminists-in-kerala 

Landmark Movements by Women in Kerala https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2025/Mar/18/herstory-civics-a-look-at-some-landmark-movements-led-by-women-in-kerala 

On ASHA Workers strike and Women’s wellbeing in Kerala https://thepolisproject.com/read/whats-at-the-root-of-asha-workers-protests-in-kerala/ 

Special Video Report on Suryanelli Rape Case (in Malayalam) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gyEBFqX1WY 

 

5.2 Legal Literacy & Advocacy

Social Action for Women? Public Interest Litigation in India’s Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India has said that public interest litigation (PIL) is an effective tool for protecting the rights of the disadvantaged, especially women. However, is this really the case? This Law, Social Justice and Global Development article looks at the issues surrounding the practice of PIL in India and its impact on women’s rights, especially in the areas of rape, sexual harassment and prostitution. https://gsdrc.org/document-library/social-action-for-women-public-interest-litigation-in-indias-supreme-court/ 

Legal Rights And Protection For Rape Survivors https://stpeterslaw.com/blog/legal-rights-and-protection-for-rape-survivors/ 

Understanding Domestic Violence https://www.advdharmendraassociates.in/post/understanding-domestic-violence-and-your-legal-rights-in-india  Domestic violence is not limited to physical abuse. It can also take the form of:

• Emotional abuse (manipulation, threats, and isolation)
• Sexual abuse (non-consensual sexual contact)
• Verbal abuse (insults, demeaning remarks, and humiliation)
• Economic abuse (controlling financial resources or depriving someone of money)
• Psychological abuse (threats of violence, coercion, or controlling behavior)

A Critique of the Legal reading of Rape and Abuse https://ijlmh.com/paper/issues-with-rape-law-in-india/ 

5.3 Media, Storytelling & Counter-Narratives

UNESCO Guidelines for reporting Sexual Violence https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381836 

#GBVinMedia https://feminisminindia.com/campaigns/the-gbvinmedia-campaign-media-reportage-of-gender-based-violence/  

Here's how to depict gender violence sensitively https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/02/23/heres-how-to-depict-gender-violence-sensitively-indian-media-take-a-cue

Using social media for policy change and activism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDyQJAKrM8Y 

 

5.4 Imagining Justice: Alternatives & Futures

Abolition and Restorative Justice reading List
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1b0QvbQ9bCddf_bSqW_xOot8joVlbmWye?usp=share_link 

Restorative Justice case study in the UK
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10282580.2024.2330375#abstract 

Exploring restorative justice in cases of sexual violence 
https://academic.oup.com/book/44856/chapter/385056266