“Justice from panchayats and nyay panchayats has always eluded women,” says Laxmi Ben of Sabarkantha, Gujarat.

“We are determined to act as a bridge between women and the courts. We go as a group and ask women about the kind of problems they face. After mapping out their problems, we approach the panchayats and ask them to take cognizance of them. On the other hand, when a woman complains of domestic violence, we also talk to her spouse and try to reason with him. If he persists, we tell him about the legal consequences he could face. We take a stamp paper and ask him to write down that he will not abuse his wife. This lends an official air to what we do and puts pressure on the spouse to stop abusing his wife. We do understand that real change will only come about when attitudes change and that such actions can only act as minor deterrents. We see this as a way to provoke a change. Similarly, widows are also treated very badly in our society. They are not allowed to attend functions or even the marriages of their own children. In one such ceremony, we intervened and asked a woman who had lost her spouse to conduct the proceedings. It evoked surprise but people took it in their stride. I am sure if this became a norm it would gain social acceptance.”