The rapid changes transforming Indian society in recent decades have put tremendous strain on the family as a social institution. The attempt to address these challenges also provides an opportunity to introspect on the kind of values on which the family as an institution should be based. In this context, the Baha'i Office of Public Affairs in India has initiated a dialogue on envisioning the family as a space that promotes the equality of women and men. This dialogue is based on a concept note on this subject developed by the Office. This website serves as a platform where individuals and organizations collaborating with the Office share their insights on the themes explored in this discourse.
Over the course of my professional life, I have often reflected on the many visible and invisible ways in which gender shapes our experiences. As a woman officer in the Indian Administrative Service, I too have experienced subtle and not-so-subtle...
The family is often imagined as a place of love, care, belonging, and security. It is where we first learn language, relationships, values, and ways of understanding the world. Yet, despite the enormous influence it has in shaping our attitudes,...
Gender equality is often discussed in the language of laws, policies, and public programs. Governments pass legislation, activists organize campaigns, and institutions try to enforce rules designed to protect women and girls. Yet the deeper roots of gender inequality are...
While contemplating with my family about shifting to a smaller city, my eleven-year-old son began asking questions about his school, his friends, and the life he had grown used to. After a while he said plainly, “I don’t want to...
Over the past two decades, my journey working with children and families across India has taught me something simple but profound: the foundations of our social world are laid very early in life. Through the nonprofit founded by my parents...
The birth of a child has a quiet way of revealing things we otherwise take for granted. In my case, it revealed how deeply our ideas about caregiving are shaped, not only by love and concern, but also by long-standing...
It is difficult to speak today about care without confronting the brutal contradictions of our time. We live in an era saturated with news of violence, exclusion, and cruelty—often justified in the name of culture, religion, or economic growth, and...
I am often struck by the extraordinary demographic moment we are living through in India. We may be the only country where we are substantially young and substantially old at the same time. Sixty-five percent of our population is below...
Engaging with the idea of masculinities and the role of men in caregiving has become increasingly important in recent years. Across many circles there is a growing acknowledgment that men and boys need to be part of the conversation on...
When we talk about reimagining the family, one of the most urgent tasks before us is to rethink masculinity — not as an attack on men, but as an invitation to reflect on how both men and women are shaped...
Would you like to respond to a contribution above? Offer a new idea? Join this ongoing conversation.
Get in ContactStay informed about new contributions to this ongoing dialogue on reimagining the family.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.