How legal reforms under Modi redefined women's safety

New Indian Express

09-06-2025

In 2012, the brutal Nirbhaya incident shocked the conscience of the nation. It also exposed the deep fissures in India's legal and administrative framework for women's safety. Inadequate policing, slow judicial response, outdated laws, and near-total absence of survivor support systems painted a bleak picture.
By 2014, India stood at a crossroads. Public outrage was loud, but the legal machinery remained sluggish. Fast-track courts were a concept, not a reality. There were no one-stop solutions and centres, no national women's helplines, no forensic support to fast-track investigation, and no dedicated funds to support such measures. Women's issues were viewed as social concerns and national priorities.
Modi Era: From Protection to Structural Empowerment
Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India has undertaken a paradigm shift—from a fragmented response to a mission-mode approach anchored in legal reform, institutional delivery, and dignity for every woman over the last 11 years of governance.
Legal Safety as National Commitment
The government initiated the establishment of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) nationwide, and today, 745 such courts are operational, including 404 that exclusively deal with cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In contrast to 2014, when One Stop Centres were non-existent, more than 820 districts now have fully functional OSCs providing legal assistance, police intervention, shelter, and counselling under one roof to any distressed women affected by violence.