‘Gender inequality is a far-reaching societal impairment, not merely a special deprivation of women. That social understanding, I would argue, is urgent as well as momentous’ —Prof. Amartya Sen in his lecture on ‘The Nature and Consequences of Gender Inequality’ ‘Gender-equal laws are crucial but there has to be a larger public campaign to change mindsets in which political parties, social action groups and the media must be partners’ —Sonia Gandhi in her lecture on ‘A New Deal for India’s Children’ ‘Education brings more equality between men and women . . . [but] the existing education system is not adequate to achieve inner peace . . . [and] global peace will come through proper education’ —His Holiness the Dalai Lama in his lecture on ‘Women and Peace’ Struggle for Gender Justice comprises fifteen lectures delivered by eminent persons in memory of Justice Sunanda Bhandare besides a lecture delivered by her in 1991. A judge of the Delhi High Court in the 1980s and 1990s, Justice Bhandare sought to remove the many prejudices and biases against women, and worked towards promoting their freedom of choice and the right to excel without fear or favour. After her untimely death in 1994, the Justice Sunanda Bhandare Foundation was established, which instituted an annual memorial lecture. Since 1995 lectures delivered by distinguished persons including Justice Sujata V. Manohar, Justice Silvia Cartwright, Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, Prof. Savitri Goonesekere, Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, Prof. Madhu Dandavate, Prof. Amartya Sen, K.R. Narayanan, Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, Sonia Gandhi, Ela R. Bhatt, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Aruna Roy, Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri and His Holiness the Dalai Lama have contributed significantly to the discourse on gender justice. This deeply analytical and insightful volume illuminates various aspects of the predicament of women in today’s world and explores ways in which they could be empowered. These lectures vividly highlight the sufferings women have undergone and the injustice meted out to them. Instances of civil society’s successes and failures in ensuring women a life of dignity have been offered in an attempt to project a roadmap to future generations. Murlidhar C. Bhandare, a leading legal luminary, took over as the Governor of Orissa in August 2007. A senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India, he was the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association for two terms. A Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from 1980 to 1994, he also served as the member and chairman of various parliamentary committees. He was a member of the UN Sub-commission for Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities for two terms and its chairman in 1988–89. He was also a member of the jury for the UN Human Rights Award, 1988. He was chairman of the UNESCO Appeals Board from 1992 to 2003. Bhandare is the managing trustee of the Justice Sunanda Bhandare Foundation, an organization working towards the empowerment of women and the protection of children’s rights and the rights of differently abled persons. Bhandare’s articles on law, human rights, population control, gender equality and justice have been published in leading newspapers.
