We, the undersigned, are writing to urge the Government of the Republic of India (“Government of India”) to declare violence against women and girls (“VAWGs”) a national disaster. After the tireless advocacy of South African women, at the Recent G20 Summit, the South African Government declared femicide and gender-based violence a national disaster. There was a petition for this that garnered over 1 million signatures that asked for what we (the undersigned of this petition), are asking for here, in our petition to the Indian Government; We want to follow the example set by South African women and call on the Government of India to declare VAWGs a national disaster. The Government of the United Kingdom has also as issued such a declaration by publicly re-classifying VAWGs as a national threat. We commend these actions and believe that India and many other countries with crises related to VAWGs should follow suit. 

We support the law reforms made following the horrific death of Jyoti “Nirbhaya” Singh in December 2012. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013 amended the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure to introduce new offences, increase penalties, and improve provisions for victims. It also broadened the legal definition of rape and codified new offences, such has sexual harassment, voyeurism, acid attacks, and stalking. While such law reform is a step in the right direction, the desired result of the elimination of VAWGs cannot be achieved without changing societal norms, such as recognizing the nation-wide damage, death and destruction that VAWGs has. Declaring VAWGs a national disaster would help do this. In the past, the Government of India has used the term to define nation-wide catastrophic events that result in death and destruction. Like the COVID pandemic and many natural disasters, VAWGs leaves nothing but pain, death and destruction in its path. The declaration would also be in line with the Government of India’s commitments and obligations under international law, such as: The Charter of the United Nations (ratified October 30, 1945), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms fo Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (ratified July 9, 1993), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (accession December 11, 1992), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)  (accession April 10, 1979), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (accession April 10, 1979). 

Though this issue is, unfortunately, a global one that exists in every country, the recent rape and murder of Dr. Moumita Debnath in August 2024 shocked the conscience of society in a way that reminded the world, and particularly women and girls in India, of the deplorable reality that is VAWGs. Dr. Debnath was only 31 years old when she was brutally gang raped and killed. This happened during a break she took after completing a 36-hour shift. She suffered many injuries including broken thyroid cartilage due to strangling, was bleeding from both eyes, mouth and private parts. The report said the wounds in her private parts were caused by "perverted sexuality" and "genital torture". She was found with her nose and mouth clamped, and her head pushed against a wall to prevent her from screaming. Like Jyoti Singh, this intelligent, talented, hard-working, strong, and tenacious woman’s life was taken from her too soon. She had a bright future ahead of her that she intended on using to help others and save lives. 

Unfortunately, Dr. Debnath’s case is not an anomaly. As previously cited, Jyoti Singh (her birth name, equally synonymous with courage and light as the publicly-given name, ‘Nirbhaya’), was a victim of the scourge that is VAWGs. She too was a promising young student with an aim to become a doctor. She too had ambitions, hopes and dreams that were cruelly snuffed out. On December 16, 2012, she was brutally gang raped by 6 men on a moving bus in Delhi. After the vicious attack, she was thrown out of the bus on the side of the road, bloodied, barely alive and without her clothes. She later died of the horrific injuries she suffered. These are facts that are generally well-known about this case, but what many are unaware of is the so-called reason the perpetrators attacked her. Prior to the attack, they verbally provoked her and said things about wanting to “teach her a lesson” and questioned her as to why she was “out so late at night”. This shows how and why deeply ingrained misogynistic societal norms and rape culture facilitates, maintains, and protects harmful beliefs that in many cases, lead to femicide.

These are just 2 of many cases that have shocked the conscious of society. The grave nature of these crimes and the societal factors that cultivated, motivated, and facilitated them are ultimately rooted in the belief that women are subordinate, “less than”, or not deserving of equal respect. By issuing a declaration that VAWGs is a national disaster, the Government of India will help erode the harmful societal norms that facilitate these crimes. This declaration would prove the severity and urgency of this issue by equating it to other objectively deadly and catastrophic events, such as natural disasters.

We, the undersigned, urge the Government of India to continue to comply with its international obligations in relation to gender equality and to set an example of what governments can do to combat femicides due to harmful societal beliefs by issuing a formal declaration that recognizes the severity of this catastrophic issue.