This article focuses on the need to revive the tool of equality for more effective decision making in cases of violence against women in India, and suggests that feminists and judicial decision makers need to adopt attitudinal shifts. It begins with a living model of equality at the grassroots level and moves to the theoretical premise of substantive equality provided by the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The third part looks at Project Equality—designed and delivered by Sakshi, a Delhi-based nongovernment organization (NGO) in the Asia-Pacific region—which illustrates how collaborative and inclusive education between NGOs and judges can better equip judges for effective decision making in women's rights cases. Finally, the article concludes with the impact that a shift from scientific to rights-based judicial decision making can have for women in situations of violence.
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