21 Under 40 and ‘Women Like Us’

I recently covered the release of 21 Under 40, an anthology of twenty-one short stories by women under forty, for Mid-Day. Edited by Anita Roy and published by feminist publishing house Zubaan, the anthology features some interesting new voices including Tishani Doshi. The event was organized by Toto Funds the Arts, a Bangalore-based organization that encourages and supports young writers and artists. Four of the writers featured in the anthology – Anjum Hasan, Adithi Rao, Meena Kandasamy and Ruchika Chanana – were present and read excerpts from their stories.

A UNFPA report, Blank Noise and including men

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has released a new report that offers 10 case studies from across the globe, which show how interventions that adapt to local contexts can actually reduce gender-based violence. Their online flash-based exhibition on this here.

The report emphasizes that communities can become critical of their own cultural practices if they’re provided with locally-sourced evidence of the harm they cause women and their families.