Battling Discriminatory Marriage, Divorce, and Inheritance Laws in India

I have watched my sister suffer in ways no woman should ever have to. She was married off at a young age, believing she was stepping into a new life filled with love and respect. But what she got instead was a marriage built on control, inequality, and emotional abuse. When she finally gathered the courage to leave, she realized that the legal system was not designed to protect women like her—it was built to make them fight for even the most basic rights.

The biggest challenge was the divorce process. Her husband refused to let her go, dragging the case for years. The legal system, slow and burdensome, seemed to favor him at every turn. He had financial resources, while she struggled to support herself and her child. Even after proving his mistreatment, she had to fight for custody and maintenance, as if seeking justice was a crime.

Then came the battle for inheritance. My sister, like all daughters, had the legal right to a share of our ancestral property under the Hindu Succession Act. But laws don’t always translate into reality. Our male relatives, backed by outdated customs, denied her claim. “A daughter doesn’t belong to this house after marriage,” they argued. When she stood up for herself, she was met with threats, emotional manipulation, and isolation.

The biggest drawback of these discriminatory laws is how they allow loopholes for men to exploit. Women seeking divorce are shamed, dragged into long legal battles, and often left financially unstable. Inheritance laws, though improved, still face resistance from a society that believes daughters have no stake in family wealth.

How do we address this? First, we need legal reforms to ensure faster divorce proceedings and better enforcement of women’s property rights. Second, awareness is key—women must be educated about their rights and supported in legal battles. Lastly, society must change. Families must stop seeing daughters as temporary members and recognize their equal right to property, dignity, and independence.

My sister is still fighting. But she is not alone. For every woman who is denied justice, there are voices like mine who will speak up and stand beside them. Change is slow, but together, we can build a future where no woman has to beg for what is rightfully hers.