Grossly inadequate: Indian spending on women's safety, says Oxfam

During the coronavirus pandemic, Indian women have suffered increased violence, job losses and taken on more unpaid care work, but Pitre said the government's gender budget for 2021-22 was only marginally higher from last year. Filepic: AFP

Nearly a decade since the gang rape and murder of a student on a bus shocked India, state spending to combat violence against women and girls is "grossly inadequate", Oxfam India said recently.

Funds earmarked for setting up helplines, opening crisis centres and introducing gender-sensitisation training for officials remain unspent, the charity said in a report analysing the country's budgetary commitment to boosting women's safety.