The nation was rocked by the brutal assault and murder of Sabiya, a Civil Defence Worker in the month of September. But as always, it appears that the brief outrage was merely that – and nothing more. In the past few years, many women’s rights groups, movements and organizations have attempted to highlight the deep rot in our society with regards to the situation of girls and women. But while there has been some increased awareness, the condition has not dramatically improved.

The Qur’an speaks about how the girl child will testify in the afterlife against those who buried her alive (81: 8-9). This stark mention should always be in our minds and hearts when engaging with questions of injustice against women and girls in Indian society at present. What are the concrete solutions that can be offered against such violence? Is it merely strengthening of law or something more?

Our contributors in this issue speak eloquently about not just the problems, but also possible solutions to them. Many of them have drawn from the life of Prophet Muhammad (saw) for answers, while others have examined how the current legal and political system can function better.

In addition, we have explored the debate around the idea of violence, political questions such as the Women’s Reservation Bill and the trend of saffronizing education.

All is not lost, however. In a dim moment, affected by the ongoing pandemic and the subsequent destruction of the economy, many women have emerged as entrepreneurs in their own right, seeking creative ways to do work that benefits not just their own families but also the society. We have covered some such stories in this issue and hope to continue the same in subsequent ones.

This is Aura’s eighth issue, put together with a hope for a more healthy society, one where every woman has a space to fulfil her dreams in the most holistic way.