ABSTRACT
This chapter details the frequently overlooked history of feminist movements in India. It argues that the long tradition of feminist organising in India provides important lessons for Gender and Development and women’s empowerment programming today. This chapter outlines significant periods of feminist struggle in India, from the colonial period to today. It details a resurgence of feminist organising in the past decade, following the tragic rape and murder of Jyoti Singh in 2012 and the emergence of #metoo in India. It also outlines the rise of Dalit feminism and argues that its focus on dignity, self-respect and difference can shape Gender and Development scholarship and practice today.
