How legal literacy is a vital step towards women's empowerment

India has made major advances in promoting women’s education, economic participation, and empowerment.

However, one key area, legal literacy, is neglected. Without this necessary knowledge, many people continue to face abuse, exploitation, and injustice, often in silence.

Legal literacy is not merely about knowing that laws exist; it is about understanding how these laws function in real-life situations and how women can use them to safeguard their rights.

This knowledge gap is one of the most significant barriers to genuine empowerment. In a country where domestic abuse and harassment by husbands or in-laws are still prevalent, awareness of legal rights is a necessity, not a luxury.

Broadly, abused women fall into three categories. The first includes those who know they are being mistreated and that it is wrong, yet feel too fearful or vulnerable to take action. The second group recognises the abuse but is unaware that it constitutes a legal offence or a ground for divorce. The third group does not even identify their experience as abuse, let alone a crime. Each of these women deserves access to legal knowledge that can help her reclaim her dignity and agency.

When women are informed about their rights, such as protection from domestic violence, entitlement to maintenance, and custody rights, they no longer feel trapped or helpless in abusive situations. Knowledge of the law becomes a weapon of self-defence, empowering women to step out of toxic environments and seek justice.

Yet, we must ask ourselves: Have we done enough to ensure that every woman in India has access to this crucial information? Have we provided our girls with the reassurance that if abuse occurs after marriage, the law will stand by them even if their families don’t? Legal literacy must be mainstreamed into empowerment efforts across all levels of society.

Legal awareness is not limited to matrimonial issues. If a teenage girl is harassed, knowing her legal rights can help her report the abuse. If an elderly mother faces mistreatment from her children, she should know she can seek maintenance and protection under the law. If a rape survivor is taken for a medical examination, she has the right to demand a female doctor.

Legal literacy helps women across age groups and circumstances, be it a single woman who wishes to adopt or a daughter denied her rightful inheritance.

For legal literacy to be effective, it must also be accessible. Legal language is often complex and intimidating, especially for women from rural areas or lower educational backgrounds. Therefore, simplifying legal concepts and delivering them through local languages and relatable examples is crucial.

Schools, colleges, NGOs, legal aid clinics, and even corporate bodies can contribute by organising workshops, awareness campaigns, and training sessions. Incorporating legal literacy into the school curriculum for girls can provide a foundation for future generations.

Mass media, such as radio, television, and social media, can play a powerful role in spreading awareness to even the remotest corners of the country. Community networks, which women often rely on for emotional and practical support, can also serve as effective channels for legal education.

Importantly, legal literacy should also be seen as a preventive tool, not just a reactive one. A legally aware woman is more likely to negotiate respect and equality within her household. Teaching men about women’s legal rights promotes mutual respect and reduces conflict. When both genders understand the law, relationships become more equitable and healthier.

Legal literacy must be combined with counselling and emotional development at the same time. It is not enough to simply inform women of their rights; we must also teach them the importance of using these rights responsibly. Protective laws should not be misused as tools for vengeance or manipulation.

A cooperative and conciliatory approach is frequently more beneficial than protracted litigation in delicate cases like divorce problems. Legal knowledge should guide women (and men) to walk out of a broken marriage with dignity, not to walk all over each other using the legal system.

Le literacy is a social and moral necessity rather than only a legal one. It holds the potential to reduce instances of abuse, not just respond to them. It aims to create dignity, not discord. By educating every woman on her rights and remedies, we enable her to be an active agent of change rather than a passive sufferer. A legally literate woman is a powerful woman, one who knows she has a voice and, more importantly, knows how to use it.

(Shaili Muzoomdar is Advocate, Divorce & Matrimonial Law)

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)