Once upon a time, Delhi’s Commission for Women was regarded as a toothless, comatose body that few took seriously. Until Swati Maliwal took charge. She made it a campaigning powerhouse that challenged police policy, altered legislation and helped bring thousands more sexual assault cases to court andrapists to justice.
During her two terms in office, Maliwal, 39, went on hunger strike to demand police action against sexual harassment and rape, which resulted in the government increasing sentencing. She walked Delhi’s streets at 3am to experience how a woman feels out alone; and went on police brothel raids, which led to the release of women and girls, who were given vocational training. She also issued a summons against the Delhi police commissioner when he refused to share data on crime rates.
